By Abiola Olawale
In a historic moment for the Catholic Church, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first American pope.
Here are key facts to understand his life, career, and rise to the papacy;
1. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was announced as Pope Leo XIV, marking a monumental shift as the first US-born pontiff. His election ends centuries of European and Latin American dominance in the papacy, with the conclave choosing a leader from a global superpower.
2. Born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, Prevost grew up in a family with Italian, French, and Spanish heritage. Raised in Dolton and attending a South Side church, he showed early devotion, with schoolmates noting his clarity of purpose as a teenager.
3. Prevost holds dual nationality. Prevost’s extensive service in Peru led to his acquiring Peruvian citizenship in 2015. His decades-long work as a missionary and bishop in Chiclayo, Peru, shaped his global perspective, earning him the nickname “the least American of the Americans.”
4. Appointed by Pope Francis in 2023 as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, Prevost played a pivotal role in advising on global bishop appointments. He also led the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, cementing his influence in the Vatican.
5. On September 30, consistory, Pope Francis also appointed him cardinal-deacon of the Chapel of Santa Monica degli Agostiniani in Rome.
6. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him as the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a key position within the Roman Curia. The office is responsible for evaluating and recommending candidates for the episcopate around the world. This role increased Prevost’s visibility and influence within the Catholic Church, potentially raising his profile ahead of any future papal conclave.
7. On February 6, 2025, Francis promoted Prevost to cardinal-bishop, assigning him to the Suburbicarian Diocese of Albano in the Province of Rome.
