Who Is New Pope Leo XIV? Francis Appointee, First American Pope Has Supported Workers' Rights

Pope Francis‘ death on April 22 sent the Catholic Church into a period of mourning for the Argentinian-born reformer. During the second day of the papal conclave, Cardinals selected Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, to lead the church. Prevost, the first American pope, was seen as a long shot for the papacy by many observers.

Who is Pope Leo XIV?: Prevost was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1955, according to CBS, later attending Villanova University. He served in Peru during the 1980s and 1990s and ran an Augustinian seminary in Trujillo. In 2014, he was appointed apostolic administrator in Peru by Pope Francis. A year later, he became a bishop. In 2023, Francis appointed Prevost to the cardinalate.

Leo XIV is reportedly a centrist, sharing some of Francis’ progressive views on supporting marginalized groups and the poor. He perhaps took his name from Leo XIII, who supported workers’ rights, safe working conditions and trade unions.

However, he has also opposed ordaining women as deacons. As a Peruvian bishop, he opposed a government plan to add teachings on gender in schools.

"The promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don't exist," he told local news media, according to the New York Times.

In his remarks on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica on Thursday, Leo XIV called for the church to “build bridges” while paying tribute to Francis.

"We have to seek together to be a missionary church. A church that builds bridges and dialogue," he said, according to CNN.

While Francis notably eschewed some articles of papal regalia during his appearance on the balcony in 2013, Leo XIV’s more traditional garb could symbolically signal some departure from Francis.

Why it Matters: Americans’ nationality was historically seen as a major barrier to the papacy due to the country’s dominant geopolitical status. While Prevost was mentioned as a possible pope, Italy’s Pietro Parolin and the Philippines’ Luis Tagle were seen as more likely. The relatively short conclave led many to believe Parolin, a frontrunner, would become pope.

Online oddsmakers gave Prevost just a 1.5% chance of becoming pope on Thursday morning, according to Polymarket. Francis was also seen as an unlikely candidate for the papacy in 2013.

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