By Nelson Manneh
In a historic and unprecedented moment for the Roman Catholic Church, American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected pope, becoming the first U.S. citizen to ascend to the papacy. He will be known as Pope Leo XIV.
Prevost, 69, emerged onto the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday to deliver his first blessing as pontiff to a crowd that had swelled across Vatican City and down the Via della Conciliazione. “Peace be with all of you!” he proclaimed, his voice echoing across the plaza. “May this peace enter your hearts, reach your families, and all people, wherever they are.”
The election of the former bishop from Chicago marks a significant turn in the church’s history, long steeped in European tradition. The moment was greeted with cheers and tears from thousands of faithful gathered in the square, as white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel, signaling to the world that a new leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics had been chosen.
The College of Cardinals had convened in secret conclave earlier this week, after the death of Pope Francis. Following the decisive vote, the dean of the college asked Prevost the traditional question: “Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?” Upon his acceptance, Prevost declared his papal name, invoking a lineage last used nearly 150 years ago.
In accordance with centuries-old ritual, the new pope was then led to the “Room of Tears,” where he donned the white papal cassock and was formally introduced to the world.
Born in Chicago in 1955, Pope Leo XIV was raised in a deeply religious Catholic family. He earned a degree in mathematics from Villanova University before entering religious life, later obtaining his theology diploma from the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago. His formation continued in Rome, where he studied canon law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas.
He was ordained a priest in 1982 and spent much of his career in Peru, where he taught canon law at a seminary in Trujillo and held several leadership roles within the Augustinian order. That international experience, according to church analysts, likely helped ease concerns among some electors wary of appointing a pope from a global superpower.
“Elise Allen, a veteran Vatican analyst, said Prevost’s reputation as a calm, thoughtful and effective administrator helped elevate him in the eyes of his fellow cardinals. ‘He’s seen as someone who gets things done without being authoritarian,’ Allen said. ‘He’s balanced, clear on his convictions, but not overbearing. That makes him a unifying figure.’”
While traditionally, the election of a pope is a strictly religious affair, the historic nature of Prevost’s nationality drew swift attention in political circles back in the United States.
Former President Donald J. Trump, who has maintained a strong connection with religious conservatives, quickly posted a congratulatory message on his social media platform. “Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope,” Trump wrote. “It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”
