Who is Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, elected Pope Leo XIV?

The caller pope has been chosen.

In nan first ballot of nan day connected nan 2nd time of nan conclave astatine astir 6 pm, achromatic fume billowed retired of nan Vatican chimney to thunderous applause, signalling that a mostly of cardinal electors had reached a decision.

Just complete an hr later, nan caller pope was presented to nan world: Cardinal Robert Prevost, who had chosen nan papal sanction Leo XIV.

"Peace beryllium pinch you all," were his first words to much than 100,000 religious who had gathered successful St Peter's Square.

"I dream this greeting of bid enters your hearts, reaches your families, each person, wherever they are," he said.

He besides paid tribute to his predecessor, recalling "the gentle yet ever courageous sound of Pope Francis arsenic he blessed Rome," and expressed his acknowledgment to his predecessor.

Pope Francis died astatine nan property of 88 connected 21 April.

Pope Leo XIV besides profoundly reflected connected his belief roots and pastoral vision: "I americium a boy of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian."

"With you I americium a Christian, for you I americium a bishop. In that spirit, we tin each locomotion together toward nan homeland God has prepared for us."

What do we cognize astir Pope Leo XIV?

Robert Prevost was brought to nan Vatican by Pope Francis successful 2023 to serve arsenic nan powerful caput of nan agency that vets bishop nominations from astir nan world, 1 of nan astir important jobs successful nan Catholic Church.

As a result, he had a prominence going into nan conclave that fewer different cardinals had.

Prior to nan conclave, 1 onslaught against him was that location had agelong been a taboo against a US pope, fixed nan geopolitical powerfulness already wielded by nan United States successful nan secular sphere.

But Prevost, 69, a Chicago native, is besides a Peruvian national aft surviving successful Peru for years, first arsenic a missionary and past arsenic an archbishop.

Prevost was besides doubly elected general, aliases apical leader, of nan Augustinian belief bid founded by St Augustine successful nan 13th century.

Pope Francis intelligibly had an oculus connected him for years, moving him from nan Augustinian activity backmost to Peru successful 2014 to service arsenic nan administrator and later archbishop of Chiclayo.

He remained successful that position, acquiring Peruvian citizenship successful 2015, until Pope Francis brought him to Rome successful 2023 to presume nan presidency of nan Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

In that job, he would person kept successful regular interaction pinch nan Catholic level successful nan portion of nan world that still counts nan astir Catholics.

Ever since he arrived successful Rome, Prevost has kept a debased nationalist profile, but he is good known to nan men who count.

Significantly, he presided complete 1 of Pope Francis's astir revolutionary reforms: adding three women to nan voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to guardant to nan pope.

Where does he guidelines connected cardinal issues?

Prevost is nan first US-born leader to clasp nan position of caput of nan Roman Catholic Church. In nan run-up to nan conclave, he was not considered a frontrunner to beryllium elected pontiff.

Prevost is known for his mean and pastoral attack and for aligning pinch galore of nan positions held by his predecessor, Pope Francis, but location are differences.

Prior to his predetermination arsenic pontiff, Prevost didn’t person a peculiarly extended grounds of speaking astir LGBTQ+ issues. However, nan New York Times reported that successful 2012, he had been captious of media that showed "sympathy for beliefs and practices that are astatine likelihood pinch nan gospel," including what he called nan "homosexual lifestyle."

Those remarks are successful opposition pinch his predecessor Pope Francis' much inclusive outreach to nan LGBTQ+ community.

In 2023, nan precocious pontiff criticised laws that criminalise homosexuality arsenic "unjust," saying God loves each his children conscionable arsenic they are and called connected Catholic bishops who support nan laws to invited LGBTQ+ group into nan church.

"Being homosexual isn't a crime," he said successful an interview. 

His stance connected nan ambiance situation is much successful tune pinch Pope Francis', pinch Pope Leo XIV often expressing interest astir biology challenges and emphasising nan value of action to reside world issues.

He precocious said nan religion should move "from words to action," and warned against nan "harmful" consequences of unchecked technological development.

While Pope Leo XIV is regarded arsenic a centrist and wide considered a progressive connected immoderate issues, he is viewed arsenic blimpish regarding religion doctrine.

He opposes ordaining women arsenic deacons and has consistently spoken retired against abortion, calling it "a shape of murder".