Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost – now known as Pope Leo XIV — is the first pope from the United States. The 69-year-old from Chicago is known as a leader with global experience. He spent much of his career as a missionary in South America and most recently led a powerful Vatican office for bishop appointments.

Robert Prevost was brought to the Vatican in 2023 by Pope Francis as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church.

"Peace be with all of you!" Those were the first words of Pope Leo XIV, the newly anointed leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. As Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost addressed the 100,000-strong crowd gathered in St.