Winning the papacy after just four ballots, Pope Leo XIV signals continuity with the late Pope Francis’s progressive legacy
History was made yesterday as the Roman Catholic Church elected its first American pope: the 69-year-old Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago. He took the name Pope Leo XIV.
Pope Leo is also a citizen of Peru and has served there for over a decade.
Emerging from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, he addressed the 100,000+ people gathered in the Vatican Square, emphasizing peace. The pope pledged to unify the Church and world amid deep divisions.
“Peace be with all of you,” he said in Italian.
Winning the papacy after just four ballots, Leo signals continuity with the late Pope Francis’s progressive legacy. He is known for criticizing the US immigration crackdowns.
His appointment positions the Vatican for a new role in global diplomacy.