The Holy Father:

Pope Leo XIV (born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois) is the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church and the first American to hold the papacy. Elected on May 8, 2025, he succeeded Pope Francis and brought with him decades of pastoral, academic, and administrative experience, shaped by a life of missionary service and theological scholarship.

Returning to Peru in 2015, he was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo and later served as Apostolic Administrator of Callao. In 2023, Pope Francis named him Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. That same year, he was elevated to the College of Cardinals.

Raised in a multicultural household—his father of French-Italian descent and his mother of Spanish heritage—Prevost entered the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977 and made his solemn vows in 1981. He was ordained a priest in Rome in 1982 by Archbishop Jean Jadot. His academic path included a B.S. in mathematics from Villanova University, a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union, and a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas.

As pope, Leo XIV is known for his emphasis on unity, pastoral humility, and social justice. His motto, In illo Uno unum (“In the One, [we are] one”), reflects his commitment to healing divisions within the Church and society. A moderate voice with a collaborative leadership style, he has continued his predecessor’s reform agenda while placing renewed focus on the dignity of the poor, the role of women in the Church, and the importance of synodality.

Pope Leo XIV resides in the Apostolic Palace and holds citizenship in the United States, Peru, and Vatican City.

Prevost’s early ministry was defined by his missionary work in Peru, where he served for over a decade as a parish priest, seminary professor, and judicial vicar. His fluency in Spanish and deep cultural sensitivity made him a beloved figure in the communities of Trujillo and Chiclayo. In 2001, he was elected Prior General of the Augustinians, a role he held for two terms, overseeing the global order from Rome.