Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, is the 267th pope of the Catholic Church and the sovereign of Vatican City. He was elected in May 2025 as the successor to Pope Francis
Key Facts About Pope Leo XIV
- First North American-born Pope: He is the first pope born in the United States and the second pope from the Americas, after Pope Francis
- First Augustinian Pope: He is the first pope from the Order of Saint Augustine, having joined the order in 1977 and served as its prior general from 2001 to 2013
- Dual Citizenship: Besides being a U.S. citizen by birth, he was naturalized as a Peruvian citizen in 2015, reflecting his extensive missionary work and leadership roles in Peru
- Missionary and Leadership Roles: He spent many years in Peru as a missionary, parish pastor, seminary teacher, and bishop of Chiclayo (2015–2023). In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, and made him a cardinal
- Education: He studied mathematics and philosophy at Villanova University, theology at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and canon law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome
- Papal Name and Vision: His papal name honors Pope Leo XIII, known for modern Catholic social teaching. Leo XIV emphasizes addressing challenges of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including artificial intelligence and robotics, focusing on human dignity, justice, and labor
- Church Policy and Focus: He supports synodality, missionary dialogue, social and technological engagement, climate change action, global migration issues, church governance reform, and human rights. He aligns with the reforms of the Second Vatican Council and continues Pope Francis’s emphasis on peace, justice, and care for the marginalized
- Stance on Social Issues: Leo XIV holds conservative views on LGBT+ issues and gender ideology, opposing government efforts to introduce gender teaching in schools and expressing concern about media promoting lifestyles contrary to the gospel. He is strongly pro-life, opposing abortion, euthanasia, and assisted suicide, and actively advocates for protecting unborn life
- First Acts as Pope: He celebrated his first mass in the Sistine Chapel, emphasizing faith and the church as a beacon of light. He chose to reside in the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace rather than the Domus Sanctae Marthae where Pope Francis lived
- Episcopal Motto: His motto is In illo Uno unum ("In the One, we are one"), reflecting his commitment to unity in the Church
Pope Leo XIV represents a new generation of leadership, being the first pope born after World War II and during the Cold War, and the first from the Baby Boomer generation. His election marks a continuation of Catholic tradition with a focus on engaging contemporary global challenges through faith and dialogue
