Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago-born Augustinian missionary with decades of experience in Peru and the Curia, has been elected Pope Leo XIV.
Image: X/@CyrilRamaphosa
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa called the election of Pope Leo XIV a significant moment for the Catholic Church and the world, saying people watched the event with hope.
“May the ceremonial white smoke that signalled the consensus of the Conclave prevail over the dark plumes of military bombardments affecting various regions of the world today,” Ramaphosa said in a post on X.
He added that Pope Leo XIV’s early emphasis on peace is a call that resonates with most of humanity and honors the legacy of the late Pope Francis.
“South Africa wishes Pope Leo XIV a blessed and transformative papacy that will strengthen faith, unity and social solidarity in the world,” Ramaphosa said.
The White smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, and the bells rang before Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was declared the new pope on Thursday.
His election marks the first time a pontiff hails from the United States.
Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, was born September 14, 1955, in Chicago. He is known for his missionary work in Peru and for his deep understanding of the inner workings of the Church.
He served as the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a powerful Vatican office responsible for advising the pope on bishop appointments.
His appointment to the post by Pope Francis in 2023 signalled a strong vote of confidence and reflected Prevost’s commitment to the Church’s "peripheries,” communities often overlooked by traditional structures.
Vatican observers had considered Prevost one of the leading candidates among American cardinals to become pope, citing his pastoral approach, global perspective and ability to navigate the Church’s bureaucracy.
Before becoming prefect, Prevost served as Archbishop-Bishop emeritus of Chiclayo, Peru.
He was made a cardinal by Francis in 2023 and also serves as president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
Prevost entered religious life as a novice in the Order of St Augustine in St Louis.
He later earned a degree in mathematics from Villanova University, followed by a master’s degree in divinity from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1982 and a doctorate in canon law in Rome.
He joined the Augustinians’ mission in Peru in 1985, returning to the US in 1999 to serve as provincial prior of the order’s Midwest province and, later, as prior general of the global order.
In 2014, he returned to Peru after being appointed apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Chiclayo by Pope Francis.
Prevost’s rise to the head of the Dicastery for Bishops came after Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet resigned amid a sexual assault allegation, which the Vatican later dismissed due to insufficient evidence.
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