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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  • Apostolic Journey to Türkiye: Day Two
    on November 28, 2025 at 5:17 pm

    The highlights of Pope Leo XIV’s second day in Türkiye include a meeting with bishops, clergy, consecrated persons and pastoral workers in Istanbul, a visit to a home for elderly people and the commemoration of the Council of Nicaea. Read all  

  • Pope Leo meets and greets the faithful in Istanbul
    on November 28, 2025 at 2:00 pm

    At the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Istanbul, Pope Leo XIV greets the community of Catholic faithful and blesses the first stone for a Catholic parish in the US city of Dallas, Texas, brought by the pastor on a pilgrimage to Türkiye. Read all  

  • Pope: The economy should not just be a ‘production machine’
    on November 28, 2025 at 1:51 pm

    In a message to the global ‘The Economy of Francesco’ gathering underway just outsde of Rome, Pope Leo urges young economists and entrepeneurs to challenge systems that produce inequality. Read all  

  • Pope: Nicaea invites Christians to unity in face of violence, conflict
    on November 28, 2025 at 1:08 pm

    Pope Leo XIV prays with leaders of various Christian Churches in Nicaea, modern-day Iznik, Türkiye, and invites all Christians to follow the paths of fraternal encounter, dialogue, and cooperation. Read all  

  • The strength of littleness
    on November 28, 2025 at 12:39 pm

    As Pope Leo XIV visits Turkish Christians in Istanbul, our Editorial Director reflects on how his words offer a message for the whole Church. Read all