Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, native of Chicago, who is 69 years old, has been elected as the first American pope, taking the name Leo XIV. His election has marked an incredible historic moment in the 2000 years of the history of the Catholic church. The election follows the death of Pope Francis.

In 1955, Robert Prevost was born in Chicago to immigrant parents of Italian, Spanish, and French descent. In 1978, before joining the order of St. Augustine, he studied mathematics at Villanova University. In 1982 ordained as a priest, and he spent a major time leading a seminary in Peru and served as apostolic administrator there. He was made a cardinal in January 2025 after Pope Francis named him head of the Vatican’s ministry in charge of appointing bishops worldwide in 2023.

As per the traditional process, 133 cardinals voted, and the conclave elected Prevost after less than 24 hours of voting. Upon his election, his selection was signaled by the bell chimes and white smoke. Addressing the faithful from St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV emphasized charity, peace, and unity, urging people to “build bridges through encounter, through dialogue, to come together as one people, always in peace.

His appointment is celebrated internationally, with congratulations from global leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump and UK opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer.

Pope Leo XIV is known for his multilingual abilities, speaking Italian, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish, and his emphasis on peace, dialogue, and unity within the church.