After multiple votes over two days, Cardinal Robert Prevost, who was raised in Chicago and worked in the city for more than a decade, has been elected as the first-ever American Pope of the Catholic Church. Prevost has chosen the name Pope Leo XIV, and was introduced to the crowds outside of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome on Thursday evening. Stream NBC 5 for free, 24/7, wherever you are.
WATCH HERE WATCH HERE A member of the Augustinian order, Prevost was raised in Chicago but has extensive experience in Peru and at the Vatican, and has served as the head of the bishops for the Catholic Church. Prevost is the first American to ever be elected Pope, and will take over a church that changed dramatically during the tenure of Pope Francis, who died earlier this year. Prevost was ordained a priest in 1982, having studied at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, receiving his masters degree in the city.
Young by historical standards, he is considered a leading global figure in the church, having served in key positions in both Peru and Rome. He was not an archbishop of a specific city prior to his elevation to the papacy, and didn't run a local church either, according to officials. He had previously served as the Prior General of the Augustinian order.
He was selected by Pope Francis as the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in Jan. 2023. He served as the provincial of the Augustinian Province in Chicago until 2014, then moved to Peru to serve as Bishop of Chiclayo in 2015, according to the Catholic Theological Union. Feeling out of the loop?
We'll catch you up on the news you need to know with the Chicago Catch-Up newsletter. SIGN UP SIGN UP The new pope was selected after a Thursday vote by the College of Cardinals, putting to an end a two-day conclave that captivated the world. Approximately 39% of electors were from Europe, with Asia, Africa, South America and North America each producing more than 10% of the electors each.
A total of 133 cardinals cast votes in the conclave. Two-thirds of the vote was required for the new Pope to be elected, and it took just five votes to come to a decision, the same number of ballots required to elect Pope Francis in 2013. Pope Leo XIV was greeted by cheers from a crowd of thousands that gathered near St. Peter’s Basilica.
It is expected the new Pope will lead a mass in coming days to officially kick off his papacy. Following the vote, two steps had to be taken to officially end the conclave, according to Vatican experts. The first was answering whether they accepted their election, and the second was choosing their Papal name, a decision that often shines a light on how the new Pontiff will approach their leadership of the church.
The name is then entered onto a formal document by an Archbishop, thereby completing the conclave and beginning the process of installing the new Pope.
