Portrait of the new Pope Leo XIV – the first American Pope

The new Pope Leo XIV was a calm, steady leader, capable of reconciling factions, and had a deep connection with his predecessor.

New Pope Leo XIV introduced himself to the faithful on the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on May 8, 2025. Photo: THX/TTXVN

American Cardinal Robert Prevost, 69, has been elected the new Pope and the head of the Roman Catholic Church has chosen the name Pope Leo XIV.

Pope Leo XIV is the 267th Pope, with global experience, having worked in Peru and the Vatican for many years. Pope Leo XIV is expected to continue the reforms of Pope Francis. He is the first Pope in history to be from the United States. The new Pope Leo XIV was introduced on the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.

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Pope Leo XIV may not be a Latin American Jesuit enigma like his predecessor Pope Francis, but his election is just as historic, The Guardian reports.

At 69, the former head of the Augustinian Order, a worldwide religious order, has become the Roman Catholic Church’s first American pope. Until the evening of May 8, the passing of the fisherman’s ring to a North American had seemed unlikely. The Vatican’s longstanding opposition to an American pope stems largely from concerns about the image of a pope from a political superpower with a dominant global cultural and secular influence.

However, all that changed after a short conclave, when the cardinals elected a man who had been a cardinal for just over two years.

Although he was born in Chicago on September 14, 1955, Prevost was never a typical American Catholic priest, in part because he also had Peruvian citizenship. After taking final vows in 1981 and studying in Rome, he was sent to Peru as a missionary, where he spent many years as a canon judge and taught canon law, patristic theology, and ethics at a seminary in Trujillo, Peru’s third-largest city. He was then appointed bishop of the northern city of Chiclayo in November 2014.

He has said that his time in Peru was the most influential life experience of his. He is fluent in Spanish and Italian, both of which he demonstrated during his first public speech in St. Peter’s Square.

Those who knew him in Peru described him as a calm, steady leader who always ate breakfast with the priests after morning prayers.

“No matter how many problems he had, he was always humorous and cheerful,” Father Fidel Purisaca Vigil, communications director for Prevost’s former diocese in Chiclayo, told the AP.

As a recent article on Crux noted, Prevost has been a hard-working, conciliatory figure for years among Peru’s ideologically opposed bishops, a skill that will be crucial in his role as pope.

Pope Francis named Mr. Prevost a cardinal in January 2023. Until the evening of May 8, Mr. Prevost’s most prominent roles at the Vatican were as president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, which is responsible for selecting new bishops around the world.

His strong ties to Latin America, along with his recent senior positions in the Church, may have helped him win over those who have not been receptive to the idea of ​​an American pope.

While his election as Pope may have come as a surprise, given his close ties to his predecessor and similar stances, he is seen as continuing Pope Francis’ reformist approach.

According to CNN, the late Pope Francis had great respect and high regard for Mr. Prevost. CNN correspondent Christopher Lamb, who specializes in covering the Vatican, said: “It is clear that Pope Francis saw something in him. He considered Mr. Prevost a capable leader.”

Reporter Lamb met Pope Leo XIV when he was a cardinal and commented that he was a very profound man, very calm, a humble man.

When he appeared before the world from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on May 8, Pope Leo XIV’s first words were: “Peace be with you.”

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV (2nd left) speaks to the faithful on the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on May 8, 2025. Photo: THX/TTXVN

His next message stressed the importance of peace, dialogue and evangelization, a message fitting for a former leader of a mendicant order dedicated to poverty, service and pastoral care. But in his call for peace, he also said: “Enter into your hearts, into your families and into your people, wherever they are.” The words were a profound echo of his beloved and missed predecessor.

The last pope to choose the name Leo was Pope Leo XIII – a champion of the poor and a champion of workers’ rights. Pope Leo XIII, who reigned from 1878 to 1903, emphasized workers’ rights and Catholic social teaching, so the new pope’s choice of name is meant to be a clear statement of direction.

Art Purcaro, an Augustinian priest and vice president for mission and pastoral care at Villanova University, said Pope Leo XIV is likely to continue his predecessor’s legacy of calling for environmental protection and serving poor, suffering communities around the world.

“Pope Leo XIV will continue to encourage all of us to be aware and do what we can to make this world a better place for everyone,” said Art Purcaro. “That means taking care of what we have and what has been given to us – given to us to share.”

Father Purcaro also revealed that the new Pope is a person with a deep spiritual life and very strong faith, not an ambitious person and lives a secretive life.

Father Purcaro believes that Pope Leo XIV will live as humbly as Pope Francis, avoiding the pomp and luxury that sometimes comes with the papacy. “When you look at him in his current vestments, you might think of clerics, hierarchy, isolation, privilege, but I don’t see any of that in his nature,” he said. “What comes naturally to Pope Leo, as it did when he was still called Bob Prevost, is humility, simplicity, sincerity, and authenticity.”

New Pope Leo XIV. Photo: THX/TTXVN

As for his personal interests, in an interview with the Augustinian Order after his elevation to cardinal, Mr. Prevost said: “I consider myself a pretty good amateur tennis player. Since leaving Peru, I have had little opportunity to practice, so I am looking forward to getting back on the court.” He also shared that in his spare time he enjoys reading, walking, and traveling to new and diverse places.

The new Pope was elected on the second day of the conclave. Previously, Pope Benedict XVI was elected after four rounds of voting, while Pope Francis was elected after five rounds.

Tens of thousands of people in the Vatican’s main square applauded loudly as white smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and waited to welcome the new Pope.

US President Donald Trump has hailed the world’s first American pope as a “great honor for our country”.

Peruvian President Dina Boluarte called his election as pope a historic moment for Peru and the world.