Pope Leo XIV is the first American in history to become the head of the Roman Catholic Church.

The late Pope Francis’ successor has formally been chosen by the papal conclave after its highly secretive meeting from the Sistine Chapel came to an end just two days into the election process.

As white smoke billowed from the building earlier today (Thursday, May 8), Vatican officials announced from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has accepted the lofty position as the 267th pope with the papal name of Pope Leo XIV.

Here’s everything we know about him…

Pope Leo XIV attending the late Pope Francis’ funeral (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Pope Leo XIV attending the late Pope Francis’ funeral (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

Prevost is fairly young for a pope at the age of 69 and, being born near Dolton, Illinois in Chicago, stands as the first American in history to take the role, which President Donald Trump has celebrated as ‘such an honor.’

However, he spent much of his life in Peru throughout the 1980s and 1990s after he became ordained in 1982, reports Newsweek.

Leo received a doctorate in canon law in Rome at the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas, and from Peru became a naturalized citizen, working in clerical roles ranging from parish priest, diocesan official, seminary teacher and administrator.

Noted for his bilingual talents in both Spanish and Italian, he later became Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru between 2015 to 2023 and finally a cardinal.

A close ally to Pope Francis, the former pontiff also gave Leo two appointments in the Vatican, to be the apostolic administrator of the diocese of Callao, Peru, in 2020 followed by a Prefect within the powerful Vatican office, the Dicastery for Bishops, in 2023 that is in charge of episcopal appointments across the world.

This made him an ideal candidate for the papal conclave that met this week to vote.

While Pope Francis was recognised for his progressive attitude, Pope Leo comes from a more centrist position.

Rev. Michele Falcone, a priest in the Order of St. Augustine, told The New York Times that he represents the ‘dignified middle of the road’.

Pope Leo XIV appeared for the first time on the Vatican balcony today (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Pope Leo XIV appeared for the first time on the Vatican balcony today (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

That said, Leo comes as the fifth-most-popular name chosen by popes, reports ABC News, with Pope Leo XIII – who headed the Catholic Church from 1878 until his death in 1903 – being a founding figure of the Catholic social justice tradition.

In his first speech to the masses from the balcony, the new pontiff told the cheering crowd at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City: “Peace be with you.”

International development charity Cafod said Pope Leo presents ‘a voice of wisdom in a fractured and divided world,’ particularly noting his work as a missionary in Peru to bring the ‘vital perspective of the global south’ into his papacy, ‘elevating voices from the margins to centre stage’.

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Pope Leo has also highlighted his service to the church and to the vulnerable, saying last year to Vatican News: “The bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom, but rather called authentically to be humble, to be close to the people he serves, to walk with them, to suffer with them.”