Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected Pope on May 8, 2025 (local time), taking the name Leo XIV.

Pope Leo XIV is the Church’s first Augustinian Pope, and the first born in North America.

The future Pope was born and raised in Chicago in the United States in 1955. At 27, he was sent to Rome to study Canon Law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum). Later, he served a mission in Peru, and became the Bishop of Chiclayo.

In 2023, then-Pope Francis called him to Rome to serve as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Later appointed by Francis as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, he became a Cardinal in 2024.

When Pope Francis was hospitalised in early 2025, the future Pope Leo XIV presided over the Rosary for Pope Francis’s health in Saint Peter’s Square.

A Pope of peace

Pope Leo XIV calls us to pray for peace in a world in the midst of storms. The new Pope’s first words when addressing the world from the Central Loggia of St Peter’s Basilica not long after his election were “Peace be with you!”

He also said:

“God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward. We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us, and the world needs His light. Humanity needs Him like a bridge to reach God and His love. You help us to build bridges with dialogue and encounter so we can all be one people always in peace.”

Social links to Vatican news

Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

Vatican News – English News from the Vatican – News about the Church

  • Lenten Retreat: Bishop Varden reflects on ‘Bernard the Realist’
    on February 26, 2026 at 5:21 pm

    Bishop Erik Varden delivers his ninth reflection at the Spiritual Exercises in the Vatican for Pope Leo XIV, Cardinals residing in Rome, and heads of Dicasteries, focusing on the theme of ‘Bernard the Realist’. The following is a summary of his reflection. Read all  

  • Archbishop Gallagher: Every war is a moral and human failure
    on February 26, 2026 at 4:26 pm

    Archbishop Paul Gallagher calls for finding the right channels for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, in an address to the OCSE Permanent Council on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Read all  

  • Cameroon celebrates as Pope Leo announces visit: His presence will be a great blessing
    on February 26, 2026 at 3:37 pm

    The Archbishop of Bamenda in Cameroon has said he is filled with joy and great anticipation for the visit. The official announcement of Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming visit to Cameroon promises to be a beacon of hope amid ongoing challenges in the country. Read all  

  • Vatican Children’s Hospital ranked 6th best in the world
    on February 26, 2026 at 2:09 pm

    In the US magazine Newsweek’s 2026 World’s Best Hospitals ranking, the Bambino Gesù Hospital classifies as first amongst those in Europe and 6th best in the world. Read all  

  • Caritas’ prayer and concrete solidarity for war-torn Ukraine
    on February 26, 2026 at 1:42 pm

    On the occasion of the National Day of Prayer, observed in Ukraine on the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the country’s Caritas organizations gather in Kyiv to pray for peace and assess humanitarian needs after so many years of war, reflecting on the extraordinary solidarity shown by the entire world. Read all