Pope Leo XIV’s Unique Background and Rise in the Vatican

VATICAN CITY — Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first Augustinian Pope and the second Roman Pontiff from the Americas, following Pope Francis. Prevost, 69, hails from Chicago, Illinois, and has a diverse heritage with French, Italian, and Spanish roots.

Born on September 14, 1955, Prevost was raised in a family with two brothers. He began his theological studies at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers and later earned a degree in Mathematics and studied Philosophy at Villanova University in Pennsylvania.

In 1977, Prevost entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine and made his vows in 1978 and 1981. He pursued further studies in Canon Law in Rome, where he was ordained a priest on June 19, 1982.

After receiving his licentiate in 1984, Prevost spent time at the Augustinian mission in Peru. He was later named vocation director and missions director for his province, influencing the next generation of Augustinians.

Over the years, he played numerous roles in Peru, including serving as judicial vicar and professor at a major seminary, while also overseeing parish pastoral care. In 1999, he became Provincial Prior of his province in Chicago and was then elected Prior General of the Augustinians.

In November 2014, Prevost was named Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Chiclayo and was later appointed Bishop of Chiclayo by Pope Francis in 2015. His responsibilities expanded as he became involved in the Peruvian Episcopal Conference, eventually rising to key positions within the Vatican.

On September 30, 2023, Prevost was made a Cardinal and took possession of his titular church in January 2024. He participated in significant sessions of the Synod of Bishops in Rome and was actively involved in various Vatican dicasteries.

On February 9, 2025, he led a Mass presided over by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square, further solidifying his role within the Church.