History is made in the Vatican as Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States is elected the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. He succeeds Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21.

The 70-year-old pontiff hails from Chicago, Illinois, and brings with him decades of pastoral and leadership experience. A member of the Order of Saint Augustine, he entered religious life in 1977 and made his solemn vows in 1981. He later earned a degree in Theology from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.

Prevost has held several key positions in the Vatican. Under Pope Francis, he was appointed to the Congregation for the Clergy in 2019 and the Congregation for Bishops in 2020. In 2023, he was named Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops—an influential role that paved the way for his eventual election.

Chosen by at least two-thirds of the 133 cardinal electors, Pope Leo XIV now leads the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics into a new chapter of faith and service.

📸 AP