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.”

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  • “Free under Grace,” a book to get to know Prevost in dialogue with the world
    on May 6, 2026 at 6:00 pm

    The book “Free under Grace,” which brings together speeches, homilies, messages, and letters of Father Robert Francis Prevost when he was Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine, published by the Vatican Publishing House, was presented at the Patristic Institute Augustinianum in Rome. It was presented to Pope Leo XIV on the eve of its release in Italian, and will be released in English and many other languages in the months to come. Read all  

  • Cardinal Parolin: Holy See’s position on peace and disarmament is firm
    on May 6, 2026 at 4:30 pm

    Cardinal Pietro Parolin responds to questions on U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to the Vatican, dialogue with U.S. President Donald Trump, and on German Bishops. Read all  

  • As 28 recruits sworn in, Pope thanks Swiss Guard for their service
    on May 6, 2026 at 4:24 pm

    Pope Leo attends the swearing-in ceremony for the Swiss Guard’s 28 new recruits, and expresses his “esteem and gratitude” for their work. Read all  

  • Pope Leo XIV video-calls priests in southern Lebanon
    on May 6, 2026 at 1:18 pm

    During his audience with the Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon, Archbishop Paolo Borgia, Pope Leo video-calls about ten priests from the southern regions of Lebanon and encourages them and assures them of his prayers. Read all  

  • Gaza’s parish priest: ‘Pope Leo encourages us to have hope’
    on May 6, 2026 at 1:06 pm

    Father Gabriel Romanelli, the pastor of the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza, speaks to Vatican News about the message of closeness he received from Pope Leo XIV, saying that Holy Father’s words are always an encouragement ‘to keep moving forward and doing good.’ Read all