Who is Pope Leo XIV? American Cardinal Robert Prevost is the new pope

[ad_1] After lower than 24 hours of seclusion within the Vatican, cardinals ended the 2025 papal conclave with the election of a brand new pontiff . The person chosen, Cardinal Robert Prevost , can be referred to as Pope Leo XIV — the primary pope ever from the USA.

This is what to learn about him.

The place is Pope Leo XIV from? Pope Leo XIV was born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, Illinois , in 1955. He's the primary U.S. pope within the church's historical past, and can also be a citizen of Peru, the place he labored for a few years.

CBS Information Chicago experiences he grew up in south suburban Dolton and has two brothers. A lady who knew him in childhood says the Prevost household was very energetic of their church.

"His household was very, very religious Catholics. I'll say that. The mother and pop each had been," Linda Jorsch advised the station. "They by no means missed church, they usually had been very energetic inside our parish. His mother was like a member of the Altar & Rosary Society. They had been lectors of their church — very energetic, very religious household."

He graduated from Villanova College in Pennsylvania with a level in arithmetic, then studied theology on the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago, the place he earned a Grasp's of Divinity.

When he was 27, he was despatched to Rome to review, and he was ordained as a priest in 1982. He went on to earn a doctorate in canon legislation from the Pontifical School of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

"My expertise of Cardinal Prevost was that he isn't a showboat." a seminary classmate, Father Mark R. Francis, CSV, provincial of the Viatorians in the USA, advised CBS Information Chicago. "He is very calm, however extraordinarily clever, and very compassionate."

Pope Leo XIV has voted in U.S. elections — and weighed in on Trump administration The brand new pope is registered to vote within the Chicago suburbs, and voting information obtained by CBS Information present he is voted in a number of common elections — together with each Democratic and Republican primaries.

He voted within the 2024 common election, in addition to within the 2012, 2008, 2004 and 2000 cycles, in accordance with the information. He additionally forged ballots within the 2016 and 2012 Republican presidential primaries, and within the 2008 and 2010 Democratic primaries.

The now-pope has shared posts about politics on his X account for years , in some circumstances reposting criticisms of the Trump administration's stances on immigration.

At one level, he shared an article headlined, "JD Vance is flawed: Jesus does not ask us to rank our love for others." The article criticized the Catholic vp for claiming Christians can prioritize love for household, then neighbors, their group, fellow residents and, lastly, the world.

What's Pope Leo XIV's background within the church? After his ordination, Prevost went to work as a missionary Peru. He returned to the U.S. for a number of years after which went again to Peru, the place he ran an Augustinian seminary in Trujillo.

In 2014, he was appointed apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru by Pope Francis, in accordance with the Vatican. A yr later, he turned a bishop.

Pope Francis made him a cardinal in 2023.

Earlier than changing into pope, Prevost, who's 69, was the top of the church's Dicastery for Bishops, that means he oversaw the collection of new bishops.

Total, he is thought of a centrist, however on many social points he is seen as progressive, embracing marginalized teams like Francis, who championed migrants and the poor. However Prevost opposes ordaining ladies as deacons, as an illustration, so he is seen as conservative on church doctrine.

"He stored a low profile on probably the most contentious, nerualgic, delicate, controversial points" dealing with the church, mentioned CBS Information papal contributor Francis X. Rocca.

Pope Leo XIV congratulated by presidents, Chicago mayor President Trump posted a message on social media congratulating the primary U.S.-born pope.

"Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was simply named Pope. It's such an honor to appreciate that he's the primary American Pope. What pleasure, and what a Nice Honor for our Nation. I stay up for assembly Pope Leo XIV. Will probably be a really significant second!" he wrote.

Former President Joe Biden, who's Catholic, tweeted: "Habemus papam - Might God bless Pope Leo XIV of Illinois. Jill and I congratulate him and need him success."

Former President Barack Obama additionally shared his greatest needs for "a fellow Chicagoan." "Michelle and I ship our congratulations to a fellow Chicagoan, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. It is a historic day for the USA, and we are going to pray for him as he begins the sacred work of main the Catholic Church and setting an instance for thus many, no matter religion," Obama wrote.

In Prevost's hometown, Chicago , many individuals celebrated his election, with Mayor Brandon Johnson tweeting: "Every part dope, together with the Pope, comes from Chicago!"

"Congratulations to the primary American Pope Leo XIV! We hope to welcome you again residence quickly," Johnson wrote.

Why did Pope Leo XIV select his title? The primary act of a brand new pope after he is elected is to decide on a brand new title. That is to suggest that his changing into pontiff is akin to a second beginning, the Vatican mentioned.

Cardinal Prevost selected the papal title Leo , one of many extra well-liked selections in historical past, which has been utilized by 13 earlier popes. The newest one, Pope Leo XIII, served from 1878 to 1903.

"The title Leo harkens again to Pope Leo the Nice," CBS Information papal contributor Candida Moss defined. Also referred to as Pope Leo I, his papacy was from 440 to 461 and included a well-known assembly with Attila the Hun the place Leo dissuaded him from attacking Rome.

"What does this imply for our new pope? Nicely, it'd imply that he too goes to face as much as oppressive political forces on the earth," Moss mentioned.

She famous that Leo I used to be also called "an incredible mental and theological reformer."

Bishop Robert Barron, of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, additionally noticed it as an homage to Leo XIII and known as it "very important."

Leo XIII was a "nice nineteenth century pope," Barron advised CBS Information. "When the revolutions within the 18th century occurred, and the philosophical revolutions of the nineteenth century, the church initially mentioned 'no' to a lot of that. Leo represents a really nuanced, clever engagement with modernity — not caving into it, not saying sure fully, however not saying no — utilizing the assets of our personal traditions to interact modernity creatively. That makes him a bridge determine."

The title a brand new pope chooses typically displays attributes they hope to embody of their papacy.

It can "point out a sure spirit and course and imaginative and prescient of the brand new pope," mentioned Dennis Doyle, a theologian and professor emeritus of non secular research on the College of Dayton.

Pope Francis, for instance, was the primary pope in historical past to take that title, a nod to St. Francis of Assisi. In Catholic custom, St. Francis of Assisi had a mystical imaginative and prescient of Jesus, who advised him to rebuild his church. He additionally renounced his wealth and based the Franciscan order of friars in 1290.