The 133 cardinals elected the new pope on Thursday evening, the second day of the conclave held behind the sealed doors of the Sistine Chapel since 1492.

On that evening, the world stopped for a moment with their gaze directed towards the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica to see who would emerge. Then Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost – who we later came to know as Leo XIV – walked onto the balcony.  

Accompanied by clergymen and with the cardinals standing on the balconies beside him, seemingly overwhelmed by emotions, he gracefully smiled and waved to the crowd. He uttered his first words as pope: “Peace be with you all.”

Who is this man who became Peter’s successor and the American pontiff to lead the 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide?

The 69-year-old grew up with his family in Chicago. He went to the seminary and later to Villanova University to study philosophy and mathematics.  

When Pope Leo XIV appeared at the balcony, the university shared their congratulatory message:

“As an Augustinian Catholic institution, we celebrate this significant day for our university community and the global church. He is known for his humility, gentle spirit, prudence and warmth.”

He became a member of the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977, which sent him to a mission in Peru. The Order is a religious order within the Catholic Church that was founded in 1244 by Pope Innocent IV. Pope Leo XIV is the first Augustinian Pope, an order that is guided by the values of harmony and community with his motto that he drew from St Augustine: “Although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one.” A message he shared with the world yesterday during his first Urbi et Orbi (the City and the world) blessing.

In Peru, he served different roles and as the Prior General for the Order of Saint Augustine for two terms.

In 2013, he returned to Chicago and served as director of formation at the Saint Augustine Convent and was appointed as apostolic administrator of the Peruvian Diocese of Chiclayo by Pope Francis. A month later, he was ordained as bishop.

In 2019, Pope Francis appointed him a member of the Congregation for the Clergy and as a member of the Congregation for Bishops the following year. As prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, Cardinal Prevost was in charge of Pope Francis’ apostolic journeys.   In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him as an archbishop and as a cardinal in 2024.

As a cardinal, he was vocal against the immigration policies of the Trump administration. He spoke about climate change last year, urging people to actively care for the environment.  

He also criticised US Vice President JD Vance when he commented in a TV interview about the Christian view of love.  

On his X (formerly Twitter) personal account, he wrote: JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”