VATICAN CITY (REUTERS) — Cardinal Robert Prevost, a Chicago native, has been named Pope and taken the name Leo XIV.
Prevost, 69, is an American who has spent much of his career as a missionary in Peru, is a relative unknown on the global stage.
Made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023, he has given few media interviews and rarely speaks in public.
Originally from Chicago, he has attracted interest from his peers because of his quiet style and support for Francis’ 12-year papacy, especially his commitment to social justice issues.
Prevost served as a bishop in Chiclayo, in northwestern Peru, from 2015 to 2023.
Francis brought him to Rome that year to head the Vatican office in charge of choosing which priests should serve as Catholic bishops across the globe, meaning he has had a hand in selecting many of the world’s bishops.
Prevost said during a 2023 Vatican press conference: “Our work is to enlarge the tent and to let everyone know they are welcome inside the Church.”
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