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History will be made today as tens of thousands of people gather at St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City, for the inauguration mass of Pope Leo XIV. He was elected on May 8, 2025 as the new Catholic Pontiff following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025. He is the first American to be so elected in the history of the Church.
Born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955 in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States of America, Pope Leo XIV has two elder brothers, Louis Martin and John Joseph. His father, Louis Marius Prevost, was of French and Italian descent. His mother was Mildred Prevost, nee Martinez.
The 267th Bishop of Rome first attended Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers. Later, he went to Villanova University in Pennsylvania where he earned a degree in Mathematics in 1977. He also studied Philosophy. The same year, Prevost entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.) in Saint Louis, in the Province of Our Lady of Good Counsel of Chicago. He made his first profession on September 2, 1978 and made his solemn vows on August 29, 1981.
He received his theological education at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. He was ordained a priest in Rome on June 19, 1982, at the Augustinian College of Saint Monica. He obtained his Licentiate of Canon Law and Doctor of Canon Law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome in 1984 and 1987 respectively.
The 69-year-old first Augustinian Pontiff spent many years as a missionary in Peru, serving in different high-profile capacities. He also naturalized as a Peruvian in 2015. On November 3, 2014, Pope Francis appointed him the Apostolic Administrator of the Peruvian Diocese of Chiclayo, and elevated him to the episcopal dignity as Titular Bishop of Sufar.
On December 12, 2014, Apostolic Nuncio James Patrick Green ordained him a Bishop. Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, on September 26, 2015, and called him to Rome to serve as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America on January 30, 2023. He also promoted him to the rank of Archbishop.
In September 2023, Pope Francis created him Cardinal in the Consistory and assigned him the Diaconate of Saint Monica. On February 6, 2025, he promoted him to the Order of Bishops and assigned him the titular bishop of the Suburbicarian Diocese of Albano.
Following his election as pope, many world and religious leaders congratulated him. To the US President, Donald Trump, it’s a great honour to realise that he is the first American Pope. Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, described his election as momentous for believers and non-believers alike. French President, Emmanuel Macron, called it a historic moment, while the United Kingdom Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, saw it as a momentous moment. Many of these world leaders will be present at his inauguration mass today. They will use the occasion to advance local and foreign policy agendas of their countries.
Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, will also be in attendance. The Pope was reported to have said that Nigeria was dear to him having worked in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos in the 1980s. On the trip with Tinubu are top Catholic leaders in Nigeria as well as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
It is worthy to note that the inauguration and burial of popes usually draw large congregation of world leaders. In 2013, Francis’ inauguration drew 31 heads of state and 132 official delegations from countries and international organisations. In 2005, the funeral of Pope John Paul II drew over 80 heads of state, one of the largest gatherings of world leaders in modern history.
The Vatican is a small state with moral authority and has diplomatic relations with about 184 countries. According to the Lateran Treaty of 1929, the Pope exercises full sovereignty over the Vatican City.
At his inauguration mass, the Pope will be presented with the Fisherman’s Ring (a gold signet ring named in honour of St. Peter, the Fisherman) and the pallium, a strip of lambswool representing his role as a shepherd. These two major items symbolize his new papal powers at the Vatican.
Pope Leo XIV appears to have made peace the cornerstone of his papacy. His major words during his first appearance as the Pontiff from the Central Loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, is, “Peace be with you all!” According to him, these were the first words spoken by the risen Christ, the good shepherd. He said he wanted the greeting of peace to resound in people’s hearts, families, and among all people wherever they might be, in every nation and throughout the world. He is also desirous of attaining lasting peace in Ukraine and Gaza. This is ennobling.
He has also pledged to follow in the modernizing reforms of Pope Francis so as to engender an inclusive Church. Pope Leo XIV speaks English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and French along with some German. He can also read Latin. We congratulate him and the over 1.4 billion Catholics on this momentous occasion.
