09/05/2025
Habemus Papam!
Just moments ago, Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti proclaimed "Habemus Papam!" from the central loggia of Saint Peter’s Basilica, announcing the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the new Pope — taking the name Leo XIV.
An American native and missionary, Pope Leo XIV is the first Augustinian to assume the papacy and the second pontiff from the Americas, following Pope Francis. Born in 1955 in Chicago to a multicultural family, he joined the Order of Saint Augustine in the late 1970s, later studying theology in Chicago and canon law in Rome.
Pope Leo XIV served extensively in Peru for over a decade, ministering to poor communities, training Augustinian candidates, and serving in various diocesan roles, including judicial vicar and seminary professor. In 1999, he was elected Provincial Prior in Chicago and, later, Prior General of the Augustinian Order for two terms.
His ecclesiastical journey led him back to Peru, where he served as Bishop of Chiclayo (2015–2023) and held leadership roles in the Peruvian Episcopal Conference. In 2023, he was appointed Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and became a Cardinal in 2024, taking part in major synodal assemblies and papal missions.
With deep pastoral roots and global Church experience, Pope Leo XIV begins a new chapter of leadership. Let us pray for wisdom, strength, and unity as he guides the Church forward.
