American cardinal Robert Prevost elected Pope
He took the name Leo XIV.
American cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as the pope on Thursday. He took the name Leo XIV.
He will be the 267th Pope, as the head of the Catholic Church and the Vatican City.
Prevost, 69, was elected at the conclave of the church’s cardinals, which began on Wednesday. The conclave was necessitated following the death of Pope Francis on April 21.
Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to greet the faithful for the first time as the 267th Pope. pic.twitter.com/tsA1a0XSOM
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 8, 2025
Born in Chicago, Prevost is the first pope born in the United States. He studied mathematics and philosophy at the Villanova University in Pennsylvania.
He was the titular Bishop of Sufar, and the Bishop of Chiclayo between 2015 and 2023 before becoming the president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America between 2023 and 2025.
Prevost was made a cardinal by Francis in September 2023.
He has voiced support for stronger actions by the church against climate change.
Also read:
- Pope Francis (1936-2025): He offered a profound message of hope, responsibility and unity
- ‘Everyone, everyone, everyone’: How Pope Francis tried to build an inclusive Church – and world
