Pope Leo XIV becomes the 267th Bishop of Rome. The soft-spoken moderate, steeped in missionary work, steps onto the world stage
Pope Leo XIV while still cardinal, attending the funeral of Pope Francis (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)AMID great excitement in St Peter’s Square in Rome, the white smoke arose just after 6pm Italian time (5pm in Britain and Ireland). After a wait of around one and-a-half hours, as the crowd became ever more animated and the atmosphere more expectant, the curtains parted.
A hush came over St Peter’s Square. Vatican City fell silent. French prelate Cardinal Protodeacon Mamberti stepped forward, took the mic, and said: “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam!” (“I announce to you a great joy: We have a Pope!”)
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost had ascended to the throne of St Peter, becoming the 267th Bishop of Rome and Supreme Pontiff.
The 69-year-old Robert Francis Prevost is from Chicago, though he spent many years as a missionary in Peru before being elected head of the Augustinians for two consecutive terms.
He holds both Peruvian and US citizenship.
Born to Louis Marius Prevost, of French and Italian descent, and Mildred Martínez, of Spanish descent, in Chicago, Illinois, he has two brothers, Louis Martín and John Joseph.
In Rome, he was ordained a priest on June 19, 1982, at the Augustinian College of Saint Monica by Monsignor Jean Jadot, then Pro-President of the Pontifical Council for Non-Christians, now the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.
Prevost obtained his licentiate in 1984; and the following year, while preparing his doctoral thesis, was sent to the Augustinian mission in Chulucanas, Piura, Peru (1985–1986). In 1987, he defended his doctoral thesis on "The Role of the Local Prior in the Order of Saint Augustine" and was appointed vocation director and missions director of the Augustinian Province of “Mother of Good Counsel” in Olympia Fields, Illinois (USA).
On September 26, 2015, he was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo by Pope Francis. In March 2018, and in 2023 he was made cardinal.
The soft spoken pope with a long record of missionary work is regarded as a moderate within the Church, but not primarily from the liberal wing. Unlike Francis he opted to wear the traditional papal robes when appearing on the balcony for the first time. This has been interpreted that, from the outset, he will balance reform with stability.
The fact that Pope Leo XIV was elected in a conclave that only lasted two days would indicate that the College of Cardinals was not deeply divided on the choice. Two days is a reasonably quick turnaround for the decision to elect the leader of more than a billion Catholics.
Although we don’t know how the voting went, as it was a relatively short conclave we can assume that neither the Irish-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell nor any of the four English-born cardinals emerged at any point as an outside ‘compromise’ candidate.
Pope Leo XIV is fluent in Spanish and Italian, as well, of course as his mother tongue English — along with several other languages. Today, being fluent in Italian and English is an absolute must for any realistic papal candidate, with Spanish being a desired attribute as well. As one priest from Chile told me in St Peter’s Square: “If you can speak English and Spanish you can speak to half the people in the world. And if you speak Italian as well, you can speak to the whole of the Curia.”
Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin wished Pope Leo XIV "every strength, good health, and the required spiritual guidance as he begins his mission of leading the Catholic Church at a time of challenge, building on the pastoral direction and achievements of Pope Francis".
He added: "On behalf of the government and the people of Ireland, I offer warm congratulations to Cardinal Robert Prevost on his election as Pope Leo XIV.
"The scenes of great joy and celebrations in St. Peter's Square are a reflection of the hopes and goodwill felt by people of the Catholic faith from all around the world towards the new pope.
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