Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday. His first words: “Peace be with you.”

The 267th pope, who now leads 1.4 billion Roman Catholics around the globe, was elected on the fourth ballot and chose a name associated with a focus on Catholic social justice. Historically, Leo is the fifth-most-popular name taken by popes and was last chosen by another pope in 1878.
Inside the vote: Just after 6 p.m. local time in Rome, white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel, signaling that the 133 cardinal electors had selected a new pope. Like his two predecessors, Leo XIV was elected on the second day of voting.

Previously known as Cardinal Robert Prevost, he was born and raised in the south suburbs of Chicago before studying mathematics at Villanova University. He returned to Chicago to study divinity at the Catholic Theological Union and later studied canon law at the Pontifical Saint Thomas Aquinas University in Rome, where he was ordained at age 27. His election is widely regarded as a continuation of Pope Francis’s papacy rather than a pivot toward a more conservative direction.

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT HIM
The 69-year-old delivered most of his first address in Italian before switching briefly to Spanish. A member of the Augustinian order, he joined the mission in Peru in 1985 — a religious community inspired by St. Augustine that emphasizes both love and learning. In 2014, Francis appointed him to serve as a bishop in Peru before bringing him to work at the Vatican.

His work: Since 2023, Pope Leo led the Vatican’s influential Dicastery for Bishops, overseeing the selection of bishops.
- In 2024, he told Vatican News that a "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 and to suffer with them."
His presence: “Reserved”, “down-to-earth” and “discreet” are some of the words used to describe the new pope.
- High school friend and fellow priest Father William Lego who calls Pope Leo “Bob” said “He had a good sense of right and wrong, always working with the poor.”
- John Doughney, who graduated grade school with the new pope, knew it was his calling to join the church, even when they were kids.

The new pope has a X account where he shared some of his views… include being tough on the Trump administration in multiple posts:

HIS MESSAGE
Pope Leo XIV, who is viewed as a centrist in the church, used his first speech from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to “follow up” on Pope Francis’ Easter Sunday message — his final public appearance before passing away the next day.

“God loves us. God loves everyone. Evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God,” the new pope said, echoing Pope Francis’ final message. The day before he passed, Pope Francis said, “I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas! For all of us are children of God!
Pope Leo urged the world to build bridges through dialogue and peace, and thanked Pope Francis for his example.
It’s unclear exactly what stance he will take on some of the Church’s most controversial issues — same-sex marriage, financial mismanagement, and the sexual abuse scandals — but if he echoes his predecessor, the message will be one of inclusivity…to a point.
- He is seen as progressive on social issues like embracing marginalized groups, but more conservative on doctrine — opposing, for example, the ordination of women as deacons.