Robert Francis Prevost, the First American Pope in Papal History

VATICAN.— American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost succeeds Pope Francis, with whom he was a close collaborator, and takes the name Leo XIV. On the second day of the conclave, Thursday at 10:10 AM, white smoke emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, announcing the election of the new pope. American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost thus became the 267th sovereign pontiff, succeeding Francis. The first pope from the United States, a native of Chicago, Illinois, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was ordained a priest in 1982 at the age of 27 and earned a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome, after obtaining a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Villanova University and a master's degree in theology from the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago. After spending about twenty years in South America, the man, now 69 years old, served for two decades in Peru, where he became a bishop and naturalized citizen, before rising to lead his international religious order. Before being elected to the conclave, he presided over the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the prefecture of the powerful Dicastery for Bishops, responsible for appointing bishops worldwide. He obtained these roles in 2023, after being appointed by Pope Francis himself. The profile of a moderate pope, combining traditions and contemporary challenges of the church His moderate and accessible profile, as well as his international experience, suggest a desire to strengthen ties with growing regions of Catholicism, such as Africa and Southeast Asia. According to the New York Times, his supporters consider him the “worthy middle ground”. Reverend Michele Falcone, 46, a priest of the Order of Saint Augustine, formerly led by Cardinal Prevost, describes his mentor and friend as a “worthy and middle-of-the-road man”. A close collaborator of Francis, the pontificate of Leo XIV could embody continuity, with an emphasis on the inclusion of marginalized communities and the fight against corruption within the Church. His rapid election is the result of a consensus among the cardinals, about 80% of whom were appointed by Francis, indicating a possible continuity in the reforms undertaken by his predecessor. .