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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    on February 8, 2026 at 2:37 pm

    The surge in attacks has contributed to a deepening humanitarian crisis across Nigeria’s northwest and north‑central regions. Read all  

  • Pope condemns deadly attacks in Nigeria
    on February 8, 2026 at 12:35 pm

    At the Sunday Angelus, Pope Leo XIV expresses “sorrow and concern” over the latest wave of deadly attacks in Nigeria, which have claimed dozens of lives, and expresses his hope that authorities will “continue to work with determination to ensure the safety and protection of the life of every citizen.” Read all  

  • Pope at Angelus: God will never discard us
    on February 8, 2026 at 11:15 am

    Reflecting on Jesus’ words after the Beatitudes, Pope Leo XIV highlights how encountering Jesus brings true joy, flavor, and light into daily life, and even when we feel downcast, God the Father “cares for our names and our uniqueness.” Read all  

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    on February 8, 2026 at 11:06 am

    Before his Angelus address, Pope Leo XIV greets directors, staff, and family members of the Vatican’s florist office and building services, and urges them to remember that “faith and prayer give full meaning to everything we do.” Read all  

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    on February 7, 2026 at 4:30 pm

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