After secretive gatherings among 133 cardinals following the death of Pope Francis, the world has a new pope. The new pope is former Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States, making him the first American pope in world history. He will be known as Pope Leo XIV.
The 69-year-old Prevost was born in Chicago and became a missionary, spending much of his career in Peru as a minister. He was also the prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery of Bishops, starting in 2023 under Pope Francis. He was then promoted to cardinal-bishop in February by the former pope. The selection of Prevost, a citizen from a world “superpower,” is a rare one, as the Vatican has largely gone the other direction in its selection of new popes.
Prevost’s familial roots trace back to Italian, French and Spanish ancestors.
Stances and controversy
Prevost’s stance on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage has yet to be disclosed to the public. The new pope has been commended for his charisma and worldly experience.
Prevost is among several American cardinals who received complaints against them by the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP). He is accused by the group of mishandling abuse complaints. However, multiple people have defended Prevost, arguing one of the victims is “a disgraced priest with an axe to grind,” according to The Catholic Herald. The Herald also notes, Prevost successfully led a “diocesan commission for child protection.”
Cardinals had signaled they have selected a new leader of the Catholic church with white smoke billowing from the Sistine Chapel Chimney on Thursday, May 8.
Anticipation follows
Tens of thousands of people from around the globe packed St. Peter’s Square as they waited to get a look at the new pope from St. Peter’s Basilica.
The selection of a new pope comes after the death of Pope Francis the day after Easter on Monday, April 21.
The vote
Pope Francis made his first public appearance as pope just 80 minutes after white smoke billowed from the chapel’s chimney back in 2013.
Here in 2025, the cardinals reportedly spent much Thursday morning praying for guidance and performing two votes in secret as they tried to find a new pope to lead an estimated 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide.
