Robert Francis Prevost, 69, was born in Chicago to a father of French-Italian descent, a former military man, and a mother of Spanish descent. For over 25 years, he lived in Peru, and he was elected on Thursday as the first United States-born pope. Robert Francis Prevost, seen as an ally of the previous Pope Francis, will now serve as his successor, leading the Catholic Church.
The 1.3 billion Catholics worldwide awaited the white smoke that would signal the beginning of the conclave on Wednesday, two weeks after the death of Pope Francis . From that moment, they waited with bated breath until the announcement of “Habemus Papam” and the declaration of the new pope’s name—Leo XIV. Leo XIV in his first speech as pope ( Video: Reuters ) Prevost, the 267th pope, was born in Chicago in 1955.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in mathematics at an American university, he pursued a master’s degree in theology. He later went to Rome for further studies and was ordained as a priest at the age of 26. For 15 years, he worked as a missionary in Peru until 1998; he later returned to Peru and, in 2015, was appointed bishop of Chiclayo in northwest Peru.
In addition to his American citizenship, Prevost also holds Peruvian citizenship. Two years ago, Prevost was appointed president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, representing a region where nearly 40% of the world’s Catholics reside. He also became head of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the body responsible for selecting and recommending candidates for senior positions in the Church worldwide.
These roles effectively marked him as a candidate for the papacy. However, he was considered relatively inexperienced, having been appointed a cardinal only recently, and his chances were seen as low. 3 View gallery The new pope ( Photo: AP Photo/Andrew Medichini ) On the other hand, his candidacy was strongly supported by the late Pope Francis, who was instrumental in his election.
Prevost was considered the leading "Bergoglian" candidate, named after the previous pope, Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis). As the first South American pope, Francis had a deep connection with Prevost, who spent many years in Peru and, according to The Washington Post, fell in love with the country. In 2022, Pope Francis chose Prevost to lead a groundbreaking reform that included adding three women to the voting body that decides which candidates for bishop positions are brought to the pope for final approval.
However, Prevost, seen as pragmatic and cautious, is considered less revolutionary than Francis. Within the Vatican, Prevost was described as a dark horse candidate who gained increasing support in the days leading up to the conclave. Nicknamed "The Latin Yankee" in Rome, Prevost’s expertise in Church law helped him garner backing from more conservative factions within the Vatican.
"He was elected despite being somewhat of an enigma to the cardinals, especially the Americans, as he spent many years outside the United States," said theologian John Morris, a former priest and commentator for Fox News. Prevost speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese and can also read Latin and German. In a 2024 interview with the Vatican newspaper, he praised grassroots work in the Church, saying, "We must resist the temptation to live in isolation.
We are here to serve, to teach." Upon becoming pope, he chose the name Leo XIV, marking the end of the second day of the conclave. The last Pope Leo, Leo XIII, served as the 256th pope from 1878 to 1903.
3 View gallery ( Photo: Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP ) "Although he is from the West, he spent more than half of his career as a missionary in Peru and will be very attuned to the needs of the global Church," predicted Alice Allen, a Vatican commentator for CNN, after Prevost’s election. "From a young age, he was appointed to leadership roles. He comes across as calm and balanced, someone who knows exactly what needs to be done but doesn’t use authoritarian methods to achieve it."
However, Prevost’s record is not without controversy. In 2000, he allowed a priest, James Ray, to live in a monastery in Chicago, even though Ray had been suspended from public ministry nine years earlier due to allegations of sexually abusing minors. According to claims, which the Vatican denied, Prevost did not inform the nearby Catholic elementary school about Ray’s history.
Further criticism arose during his tenure as bishop in Peru. Two priests were accused of sexually abusing three young girls. A complaint filed this year alleged that Prevost refused to investigate and provided only partial information to Rome.
The Vatican also denied these allegations. During that period, Prevost opposed the inclusion of gender studies in Peruvian schools, arguing that it could promote "confusing ideologies designed to create non-existent genders." He also opposed the ordination of women, saying, "It is not certain that this would solve any problems, and it might even create new ones."
However, he acknowledged that "women can make significant contributions to Church life in many areas." 3 View gallery The masses welcoming Pope Leo XIV ( Photo: Antonio Masiello/Getty Images ) In 2012, Prevost claimed that popular culture fosters "views and behaviors contrary to the Church," citing "the homosexual lifestyle" and "alternative families made up of same-sex couples and their adopted children." After Pope Francis allowed Catholic priests in 2023 to bless unmarried couples, including same-sex couples, Prevost criticized the practicality of this decision in regions like Africa, where homosexuality is still illegal.
He commented, "The cultural realities in these areas make implementing this document unfeasible." Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play : https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store : https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv As for his stance on Jews, Israel, the October 7 massacre and the Gaza war, Prevost has not made any notable statements. The question remains whether he will continue the critical approach established by his predecessor .
Last December, Francis expressed frustration that his representative, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, was not permitted to enter Gaza. In a sermon, Francis said, "Children were bombed. This is cruelty; this is not war.
I wanted to say this because it touches my heart." Israel condemned Francis’s comments about "genocide" in Gaza. In response, the Foreign Ministry issued a condolence tweet, which was later deleted , and no senior Israeli representatives attended his funeral .
With the election of the new pope, Jerusalem hopes for a change. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "Congratulations to Pope Leo XIV and the global Catholic community. I wish the first American pope success in fostering hope and reconciliation among all religions."
