Title: Historic Election: Robert Prevost Becomes the First American Pope in 2,000 Years
For the first time in history, an American has been elected as Pope. The idea of an American pope has often been dismissed, even by theologians in the United States in the run-up to this week’s conclave. So few expected Robert Prevost to walk out onto the balcony at the Vatican as the new head of the Catholic Church.
And yet, on Thursday the Chicago-born cardinal-bishop, known by friends as “Bob,” made history after becoming the 267th pope – the first time in the Church’s 2,000-year history that an American has been appointed to lead it.
Prevost – who has joint Peruvian citizenship and spent years living and working in the South American country – has chosen to be known as Leo XIV. As Bishop of Chicago, the 69-year-old pontiff once oversaw the largest Archdiocese in North America.
Prior to his election, many observers had questioned him as a candidate due to his relatively young age and inexperience. Some speculated that cardinals would also wish to select a European, following 12 years of tenure by Pope Francis – an Argentinian – and considered it unlikely a pontiff would emerge from the U.S.
The Reverend James Bretzke, a theology professor at John Carroll University in Ohio, told USA Today this week that a diplomat was required to replace Pope Francis, adding: “America’s image in the world simply is too powerful − and to be blunt, ugly.”
Vatican insiders had described Prevost as a “dark horse” candidate who quietly rose to prominence in the days just before the conclave, having been made a cardinal-bishop in February this year. In terms of leading the Catholic Church, he has been described as a “dignified middle of the road” leader, compared with Francis, who was considered a progressive pontiff, and more conservative alternatives.
Significantly, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope.
However, Prevost has also expressed less progressive stances, including more negative views of the LGBT community. According to The New York Times, in an address to bishops in 2012, Prevost bemoaned the fact that western media fostered “sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel,” pointing to the “homosexual lifestyle” and “alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children.”
Prevost, who holds both American and Peruvian citizenship, previously served as prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, which handles various administrative and pastoral responsibilities of the Holy See, including vetting nominations for bishops around the world.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1955, Prevost grew up in the city’s south suburbs, where he lived in Dolton with his parents and two brothers. Reports claimed he was a fan of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. The record, however, was set straight on Thursday by his brother, who confirmed he had “always” been a White Sox fan.
Growing up, a steady stream of priests passed through his family home, and the youngster reportedly had a positive experience of parish life, serving as an altar boy and attending school in the St. Mary of the Assumption parish on the far South Side.
Prevost was sent to study canon law at the Angelicum in Rome and was ordained as a priest in the city in 1982. After completing his studies, he was invited to work in the Territorial Prelature of Chulucanas, in northwestern Peru, which held strong connections with the U.S. Augustinians.
Prevost is an expert in canon law, a system that functions like a constitution and legal system specifically for the Catholic Church, affording him appeal to the more traditional wings of the Vatican.
It remains to be seen how he will respond to the actions of U.S. President Donald Trump, who posted his congratulations on his social media platform Truth Social after the announcement that Prevost was Pope.
Prevost’s latest post on X was a repost of an account criticizing the Trump administration’s policy on immigrant deportations.
