Newly elected Pope Leo XIV will celebrate his first Mass as pontiff with the College of Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel on Friday, following his surprise election as the first American pope in Catholic Church history.
Born in Chicago, Cardinal Robert Prevost spent decades in Peru as a missionary and later as Bishop of Chiclayo before rising to prominence in the Vatican.
His swift election concluded a two-day conclave on Thursday evening, marked by the traditional white smoke signaling a new pope had been chosen.
After the Mass, Pope Leo will share a private lunch with the cardinals who selected him.
They will then return to their respective countries, leaving the new pope to face a host of challenges—including budget shortfalls, internal divisions over LGBTQ inclusion, divorced Catholics, and the evolving role of women in Church leadership.
President Donald Trump quickly congratulated Pope Leo, calling his election “a Great Honor for our Country” and expressing hope for a future meeting.
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Yet past social media posts by Robert Prevost suggest a more critical stance on Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s political positions.
Greeting the faithful from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday, Pope Leo XIV spoke in fluent Italian and Spanish but omitted English from his brief address.
“Peace be with you all,” he said to the cheering crowd.
Now 69, Pope Leo holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and Peru.
His long missionary service in northern Peru endeared him to local Catholics, who celebrated his election with street processions and ringing church bells.
His choice of the name “Leo” may offer clues about his vision. The last pope to bear the name, Leo XIII (1878–1903), championed social justice and is considered a pioneer of modern Catholic social teaching.
By adopting this name, Pope Leo XIV may be signaling a continued focus on the Church’s engagement with issues of justice, dignity, and reform.
Although only made a cardinal in 2023, Leo quickly gained respect among fellow clergy for his low-profile but influential leadership style.
A known ally of the late Pope Francis, he was appointed in 2023 to head the Vatican’s powerful Dicastery for Bishops—tasked with selecting bishops worldwide, a role that positioned him at the heart of shaping the Church’s future leadership.
In his first remarks as pope, he called for unity, setting the tone for a pontificate that appears committed to continuing Francis’s legacy while offering a calm but firm hand amid a time of transition.
