In a moment that now holds historical weight, the future Pope Leo XIV—then newly ordained—met with Pope John Paul II in 1982.
Born Robert Francis Prevost Martínez on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, USA, he would go on to make history as the first North American to be elected Pope.
After the passing of Pope Francis in April 2025, Prevost was elected by the papal conclave on May 8, 2025, and took the name Leo XIV. His journey to the papacy was marked by deep commitment to service and leadership.
As a member of the Order of Saint Augustine, he spent years in Peru—first between 1985–1986, and again from 1988 to 1998—serving as a pastor, seminary educator, diocesan official, and administrator.
His leadership continued when he was elected Prior General of the Augustinians from 2001 to 2013. In 2015, Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru.
He later became a cardinal and was named Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in 2023, as well as President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
Pope Leo XIV has broken several historical precedents. He is the first pontiff from North America, the first from an English-speaking nation since Pope Adrian IV, and the first of Black African ancestry.
He also represents both American and Peruvian heritage and is the first pope from the Order of Saint Augustine. His election as Pope Leo XIV marks the first use of the name “Leo” since 1903, and he is the first pontiff born after World War II.
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