THE Roman Catholic Church cardinals elected a new pope on the balcony above St Peter’s Square on Thursday after days of waiting. More than 1.4 billion Catholics around the world were elated as they got their 267th pontiff, ending a two-day conclave in Rome.
The cardinals elected Robert Francis Prevost, who has now become Leo XIV. As the world celebrates the new pope, here are some 15 facts you need to know about the new pontiff.
First, Cardinal Prevost is the first American to be elected pope of the Catholic Church. No American had earlier been elected as pope. With the current global crisis fuelled by American President Donald Trump, there are hopes that the new pope would be able to dialogue with the man who has roiled the markets, deported parents and children, while making what analysts call “suicidal economic statements.”
Secondly, Cardinal Prevost is the first pope to come from an English-speaking and the first American and Peruvian pope since Adrian IV.
Third, he was born in Chicago and grew up there, working for the Order of Saint Augustine. He is 69 years. Fourth, he is quite popular among the cardinals as he was appointed by Pope Francis as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in Latin America, making him part of cardinals who select and supervise bishops.
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Fifth, he was a close confidant of Pope Francis. He became archbishop in January 2023 and was elevated to a cardinal months after, BBC said. Sixth, he was part of the Augustinian mission and served in Peru from 1985 to 1986 and from 1988 to 1998 as a parish pastor. Also, he was diocesan official, seminary teacher and administrator before moving to Rome when he was elected Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine in 2001. He was in the position for two years.
Seventh, he completed his secondary studies at St Augustine Seminary High School in 1973. Eighth, he is an ardent critic of Trump and his vice, JD Vance – their rhetoric, tariffs, and immigration, among others.
Ninth, he is active on social media. He once reposted a post on X that lampooned the Trump administration’s deportation of a US resident to El Salvador. He also shared an anti-Trump comment written about a TV interview given by Vance to Fox News.
“JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others,” said the post, which he shared.
Tenth, he was involved in sexual abuse scandals but the Catholic Church exonerated him from every blame. Two Catholic priests who were allegedly sexually abused had also accused Prevost of failing to open an investigation in 2022.
Eleventh, in 2001, Prevost won an election as Prior General of the Augustinians. He did the first term of six years and was elected to a second six-year term in 2007. From 2013 to 2014, Prevost became the director of formation in the Convent of St. Augustine in Chicago. He was also the Catholic Church’s first councilor and provincial vicar of the Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel.
Twelveth, Pope Francis appointed him as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo and titular bishop of Sufar in November 2014. Thirteenth, he got his episcopal consecration on December 12, 2014, at St Mary’s Cathedral in Chiclayo.
Fourteenth, on September 26, 2015, he was elevated to the position of bishop of Chiclayo. He subsequently became a provost also acquired Peruvian citizenship in 2015.
Pope Francis made him the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in January 2023, with the title of archbishop-bishop emeritus of Chiclayo. At the September 30 consistory, Francis elevated him cardinal-deacon of Chapel of Santa Monica degil Agostiniani in Rome.
