Who is Robert Francis Prevost, the first American Pope in the history of the Catholic Church?

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost from the United States of America has been elected the 267th Pope and has stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica as the new leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

He will be known as Pope Leo XIV. Prevost, 69, of Chicago, Illinois, is the first pope in history from the United States.

The cardinals took two days to elect a new pontiff, matching the timeline from the previous two meetings and suggesting that Prevost quickly impressed his peers during the secretive process.

Francis and Benedict XVI were both inaugurated on the evening of the second day of the conclave, while John Paul II, the longest-serving pope of modern times, was elected on the third day in 1978.

An extraordinary leader

A global leader with experience, Robert Francis Prevost spent much of his career as a missionary in South America and most recently headed a powerful Vatican office for bishop appointments. He is expected to build on Pope Francis' reforms.

He worked for a decade in Trujillo, Peru, and was later named bishop of Chiclayo, another Peruvian city, where he served from 2014 to 2023. Prevost is a member of the Augustinian religious order — which he also led for more than a decade as their previous superior general, which has given him leadership experience to lead an order spread around the world.

Considered a highly capable and accomplished leader, Prevost most recently headed the Vatican's powerful office for new bishop appointments, the Dicastery for Bishops, evaluating candidates and making recommendations to the late pope.

He also served as president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. While it is often said that cardinal electors would always shy away from electing a pope from the United States, due to America's vast global political influence, Prevost's long experience in Peru may have allayed those fears among voters.

Happening now...

00:00 crossword

Free scheme December 14

22:30 HAPPENING NOW

Fatal accident in Tirana

22:15 POLITICS

The municipality gave permission to Suel Çela's father to expand the food market, in addition to the socialists, also the "pro" Democratic Party of Elbasan gang

22:12 POLITICS

"I asked for a hunger strike", Kalaja: DP's national protest delayed!

21:55 POLITICS

DP will not appeal the People's Advocate to the Constitutional Court, Berisha: Let Rama enjoy it

21:41 POLITICS

"You asked for my signature for Shaban", Salianji responds to Himçi's accusations: You are being ridiculous and they consciously forced you to say it

21:36 POLITICS

"We clashed over the generator", Lapaj recounts the fight with the police outside the Prime Minister's Office

21:29 POLITICS

"The judge was not in the US, but in the campaign. Take away the word 'liar'!" Salijanj's clash with Berisha is revealed

21:13 POLITICS

Hysen Kadiu responds to Berisha: During the May 11 campaign, I worked for the DP, not for Rama! Stagnant water needs refreshing

21:04 POLITICS

'Signatures for Shaban are wrong', Agron Gjekmarkaj submits his resignation as vice president of the DP, but Berisha does not accept it!

20:55 POLITICS

''Suel Çela has blackmailed...''/ The Salianji-Noka debate on the presidency is revealed, the Elbasan MP intervenes

20:35 POLITICS

Debates within the Presidency meeting, Salianji is surrounded by journalists, Sali Berisha silently leaves the headquarters

20:29 POLITICS

"We'll take you by car for 100 thousand euros", Bislim Ahmetaj "slaps" Noka in the eye: Salianji came with a baseball bat... Flamur, come out, can you gather people?

20:26 POLITICS

Agron Gjekmarkaj resigns as vice president of the Democratic Party!

Want to read more news