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Cardinal Robert Prevost has been elected the new head of the Roman Catholic Church, taking the papal name Leo XIV. The 69-year-old American succeeds Pope Francis, who died last month.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected the 267th pope of the Catholic Church, taking the name Leo XIV.

The conclave, convened after the death of Pope Francis on April 21, lasted just two days and four ballots — an unusually swift consensus among the 133 voting cardinals.

A crowd of over 50,000 in St. Peter’s Square welcomed Pope Leo XIV as he emerged to give his first blessing.

“Peace be with you,” he proclaimed from the loggia of Saint Peter’s Basilica, invoking “the peace of the Risen Christ — a disarming and humble and preserving peace”.

“Evil will not prevail,” he declared in his inaugural address. “We are all in the hands of God.”

A member of the Order of Saint Augustine, Pope Leo XIV quoted the early Church Father, stating, “With you I am a Christian, for you a bishop.” He added, “We want to be a synodal Church… especially close to those who are suffering,” in an apparent nod to the legacy of Pope Francis.

Pope Leo XIV is the first American-born pope, and only the second non-European to hold the office in over a millennium. A native of Chicago,  Illinois, he also holds Peruvian citizenship, having spent over two decades immersed in Latin American missionary work and pastoral appointments.

Prevost’s unique background as both an American and a longtime missionary to the Global South helped ease concerns about electing a pontiff from a global superpower.

Based on Leo XIV’s first appearance, some observers have noted a blend of Pope Francis’ missionary energy and emphasis on caring for the marginalised with Pope Benedict’s appreciation for Catholic tradition and the powerful symbolism of the Church’s liturgical practices, evident in his choice of papal name and ceremonial attire.

This could suggest that the new pope aims to foster unity between traditionalists and progressives, seeking to reconcile these differing factions following a time of considerable tension and division within the Catholic Church.

Who is Cardinal Robert Prevost?

Born on September 14, 1955, Robert Prevost entered the Augustinians in 1977 and was ordained in 1982. His academic credentials include a mathematics degree from Villanova, a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union, and a doctorate in canon law from Rome’s Angelicum.

His missionary work in Peru began in the 1980s. For ten years, he led the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo and taught canon law at the diocesan seminary, later serving as Bishop of Chiclayo and vice-president of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference.

This strong bond with Peru was evident during his inaugural address, where he offered a heartfelt greeting in Spanish to his former diocese, acknowledging the lasting impact of his time there.

In more recent years, Pope Francis recognised Prevost’s administrative skill, appointing him in 2023 as prefect of the powerful Dicastery for Bishops.

Leo XIV’s theological and pastoral outlook aligns closely with that of Pope Francis. He champions environmental stewardship, dialogue with the poor, and missionary outreach. In his first speech, he thanked Francis for his “brave” voice and example of bridge-building.

In line with Francis, Leo XIV supports pastoral flexibility on matters like Communion for the divorced and remarried.

While he has been slow to comment on hot-button topics, Prevost has occasionally weighed in on both gender ideology and the sanctity of life. In one quote that has circulated widely online since his election, he said, “The promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don’t exist.”

In another, Prevost stated, ”We cannot build a just society if we discard the weakest — whether the child in the womb or the elderly in their frailty — for they are both gifts from God.”

Conservative commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk has also revealed that the new pope is a registered Republican who has voted in Republican primaries when not living abroad.

“Our data shows he’s a strong Republican, and he’s pro-life,” Kirk wrote in a statement on X.

Others have highlighted social media activity in which Prevost shared posts critical of Donald Trump’s immigration policies and expressed disapproval of Catholic Vice President JD Vance’s comments on ordo amoris (rightly ordered love). He has also promoted content urging Trump to “act on climate” and suggesting that racial bias played a role in the death of George Floyd.

Pope Leo XIV: A Bridge-Building Pontificate

One of the most pressing challenges likely to define Pope Leo XIV’s papacy is the Catholic Church’s ongoing reckoning with the sexual abuse crisis — a crisis that, despite his election, includes unresolved questions from his own past.

As provincial of the Augustinian Province in Chicago in the early 2000s, he was associated with the case of a priest allowed to continue ministry despite a prior conviction. Supporters maintain he had no authority over the situation and acted within the norms of the time.

More troubling is a 2022 case in Peru, where three girls accused priests of sexual abuse. Critics allege that Prevost — then Bishop of Chiclayo — failed to adequately investigate and that the diocese paid $150,000 to silence the victims.

Prevost’s defenders insist he followed canonical procedure, met with the victims personally, and submitted the case to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. Documentation reportedly supports his compliance.

The abuse scandal was likely among the burdens weighing on Leo XIV when, in his inaugural address, he urged Catholics to become “a missionary Church, building bridges, fostering dialogue, and always ready to receive everyone with open arms.”

Whether Leo XIV will succeed in healing old wounds and helping the Catholic Church cross into a new era is a matter for the months and years ahead.

But one thing is certain: he begins his pontificate at a pivotal moment for the Catholic Church, and his leadership will be closely watched by Catholics and non-Catholics alike.