The Vatican News has confirmed that the Cardinals gathered in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel have elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the 267th Pope, who took the name Pope Leo XIV.
This was confirmed in an X Post by the media outlet of the Vatican stating that “Habemus Papam!” meaning “We have a Pope!”
This unofficial announcement follows the White smoke that emanated from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel signaling to the world that a new leader of the Catholic Church had been chosen.
He received majority of votes of the cardinals presented in the Sistine Chapel according to the rules laid out in the Ordo Rituum Conclavis and the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis.
Per the laid down rules, Cardinal Robert was asked for his consent with the words: “Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?” Upon receiving the consent, he was then asked: “By what name do you wish to be called?” where he chose Pope Leo XIV.
Profile
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, O.S.A. is the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and Archbishop-Bishop emeritus of Chiclayo, Peru.
He was born on 14 September 1955 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
In 1977, he joined the Order of Saint Augustine (O.S.A.) and made his solemn vows in 1981. He studied theology at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and later earned a licentiate and doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome. He was ordained a priest on 19 June 1982.
Cardinal Prevost served in Peru for many years, working in Chulucanas and later in Trujillo as a missionary, formator, and professor. He held key roles such as judicial vicar and professor at the Major Seminary of Trujillo.
In 1999, he was elected provincial prior of his Augustinian province in Chicago. In 2001, he was elected prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine, a role he served until 2013.
In 2014, Pope Francis appointed him apostolic administrator of Chiclayo, and he was consecrated bishop on 12 December 2014. He became bishop of Chiclayo in 2015 and later served as vice president of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference.
He was also appointed a member of the Congregation for the Clergy (2019), and the Congregation for Bishops (2020). In 2020, he was named apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Callao.
On 30 January 2023, Pope Francis appointed him Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
He was made a Cardinal on 30 September 2023, assigned to the Deaconry of Santa Monica.
Cardinal Prevost is a member of several Vatican dicasteries and commissions, including: Evangelization (first evangelization and new particular Churches), Doctrine of the Faith, Eastern Churches, Clergy, Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, Culture and Education, Legislative Texts and Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State