Pope Francis brought Robert Prevost to the Vatican in 2023 as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. On Thursday, he ascended to become Pope Leo XIV — the first pope from the U.S.
In this photo released by the Diocese of Chulucanas, Bishop Robert Prevost, third from right, poses with members of the clergy in Chulucanas, Peru, Aug. 12, 2024. (Diocese of Chulucanas via AP)
Prevost, 69, had to overcome the taboo against a U.S. pope, given the geopolitical power already wielded by the United States in the secular sphere.
The Chicago native is also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.
Newly elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, right, receives his biretta from Pope Francis as he is elevated in St. Peter’s Square at The Vatican, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca, file)
In this photo released by the Diocese of Chulucanas, Bishop Robert Prevost presides over Mass in Chulucanas, Peru, Aug. 12, 2024. (Diocese of Chulucanas via AP)
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV appears at the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Thursday, May 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
In this photo released by the Diocese of Chulucanas, Bishop Robert Prevost leads the celebration anniversary of the Diocese in Chulucanas, Peru, Aug. 12, 2024. (Diocese of Chulucanas via AP)
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, poses for a photo at the end of the consistory where Pope Francis elevated 21 new cardinals in St. Peter’s Square at The Vatican, Sept. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca, File)
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, leads the recitation of the Holy Rosary for Pope Francis’ health in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican, March 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
