Who was Robert Prevost, who became Pope Leo XIV?

Even before his name was announced from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, the crowd below erupted in cheers of "Viva il Papa!" (Long live the Pope!).

Robert Prevost, 69, became the 267th pope and is known as Leo XIV.

He is the first American pope, but he is also considered a Latin American cardinal, as he spent many years as a missionary and later became archbishop of Peru.

Prevost was born in Chicago in 1955 to parents of Spanish and Franco-Italian descent. He began his career as an altar boy and became a priest in 1982.

 He moved to Peru three years later, but has been in the United States regularly to serve as a pastor in his hometown.

He is a Peruvian national and is fondly remembered for his work with marginalized communities and for helping to build relationships.

Who will choose the next pope? Where will they gather?

Who will be the next pope? Several cardinals are in the running for the papacy

He worked for 10 years as a priest and seminarian in the Catholic Church in Trujillo, northwestern Peru.

In his first words as pope, Leo XIV spoke with gratitude about his predecessor, Pope Francis.

 “The weak but always courageous voice of Pope Francis, who blessed us, still rings in our ears,” he said.

“Let us go forward together, united and with God,” he told the cheering crowd.

He also spoke about his service to the Augustinian Order.

A year after becoming pope, Francis appointed Robert Prévost as bishop of Chiclayo, Peru.

He is also well-known to the cardinals because he headed the office of the Latin American Congregation for the Selection and Supervision of Bishops.

He was ordained archbishop in January 2023, and within months Pope Francis had elevated him to the rank of cardinal.

He has spoken about concrete measures, including the use of electric vehicles.

 He has supported Pope Francis' decision to allow women to be ordained to the episcopal college for the first time, and has given them his opinion on the appointments.

"We have seen several times that their vision is progressive," he told the Vatican News Agency in 2023.

In 2024, he told Catholic News Service that "giving women the opportunity helps the Church choose the best people to serve as bishops."