Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, is the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the first American to hold the papacy, marking a historic moment in the Church's nearly 2,000-year history. Raised in a family of French, Italian, and Spanish descent, he entered the Augustinian Order in 1977, professing solemn vows in 1981. He was ordained a priest in 1982 and later earned a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome.

Prevost's early ministry was rooted in the United States, but his missionary work in Peru profoundly shaped his priesthood. He served as a missionary bishop in Chiclayo and later as Apostolic Administrator of Callao. From 2001 to 2013, he led the worldwide Augustinian Order, and in 2023, he was appointed Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops by Pope Francis. He was elevated to cardinal in the same year.

On May 8, 2025, Cardinal Prevost was elected pope, taking the name Leo XIV in homage to Pope Leo XIII, who was instrumental in shaping the Church's engagement with the modern world. His election is seen as a bridge between the Church's traditions and its global mission, reflecting a commitment to social justice and unity within the Church.

As the first American pope, Leo XIV's election signifies a shift towards greater representation of the Americas in the Vatican's leadership, highlighting the Church's global nature and its responsiveness to the diverse cultures and challenges of the modern world.