First American Elected Pontiff, Get To Know Pope Leo Xiv

Pope Leo XIV, 69, was elected to return up nan papal spot connected Thursday, connected nan 2nd time of nan papal conclave’s deliberations. 

Born Robert Prevost connected Sept. 14, 1955 successful Chicago, Ill., he was a suspected front-runner to win Pope Francis aft his passing precocious past month, though immoderate reporting suggested his being an American could really count against him owed to concerns that nan U.S. could further exert its geopolitical prowess done nan belief leader. 

Leo XIV was first brought to nan Vatican by Francis to service arsenic prefect of nan Dicastery for Bishops in January 2023, which is 1 of nan astir important positions successful nan Catholic Church arsenic it vets bishop nominations issued globally. 

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of nan U.S., appears connected nan pavilion of St. Peter's Basilica astatine nan Vatican, May 8, 2025.  (Reuters/Claudia Greco)

LIVE UPDATES: CARDINAL ROBERT PREVOST ANNOUNCED AS FIRST AMERICAN POPE, TAKING NAME LEO XIV

Francis past elevated him to nan position of Cardinal successful September 2023. 

Leo was reported to beryllium intimately aligned to Francis's teachings arsenic leader of nan Catholic Church, peculiarly erstwhile it came to his positions regarding the environment, outreach to nan mediocre and migrants, and opening nan Catholic Church to clasp much followers.

Before making it to nan highest position afforded successful nan Catholic Church, he first entered nan novitiate of nan Order of Saint Augustine successful Saint Louis, successful 1977, which fundamentally marked his play of training earlier he took his "holy orders."

In August 1981, he gave his intense vows, and by 1982 he was ordained arsenic a priest.

By 1985 he joined nan Augustinian ngo successful Peru, wherever he served arsenic chancellor of nan Territorial Prélature of Chulucanas for 1 year.

Pope Francis appoints arsenic caller cardinal U.S-born prelate prefect of nan Dicastery for Bishops, Robert Francis Prevost during nan Ordinary Public Consistory for nan Creation of caller Cardinal astatine St. Peter's Square connected September 30, 2023, successful Vatican Cit. Pope Francis holds a consistory for nan creation of 21 caller cardinals, nan consistory falls earlier nan commencement of nan Synod connected Synodality, group to return spot successful October.  (Photo by Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images)

CARDINAL ROBERT PREVOST ANNOUNCED AS FIRST AMERICAN POPE, TAKING NAME LEO XIV

Between 1987 and 1988, he returned to nan U.S., wherever he served arsenic pastor for vocations and head of missions for nan Augustinian Province of Chicago, earlier he returned to Peru for different 10 years to caput nan Augustinian seminary successful Trujillo and thatch Cannon Law. 

Eventually, he made his measurement backmost to his hometown, where, successful 1999, he was elected provincial anterior of nan "Mother of Good Counsel" successful Chicago.

Leo would spell connected to beryllium elected doubly as leader of nan Augustinian belief order, a 13th period bid founded by St. Augustine.

He had caught nan attraction of Francis, who, aft becoming pope successful 2013, moved Leo backmost to Peru successful 2014 to service arsenic nan administrator and yet archbishop of Chiclayo.

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost of nan United States, appears connected nan pavilion of St. Peter's Basilica astatine nan Vatican, May 8, 2025.  (Reuters, Stoyan Nenov)

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Leo sewage his Peruvian citizenship successful 2015, wherever he remained until he was moved to nan Vatican successful 2023. 

During his last years successful Peru, Leo besides served arsenic vice-president of nan imperishable assembly of nan Peruvian Bishops’ Conference from 2018 to 2023, which apt helped him unafraid his domiciled arsenic prefect of nan Dicastery for Bishops nether Francis. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.