The new pope is American. He has chosen the name Leo VIX.

Born in Chicago on September 14, 1955 into a family with French, Italian, and Spanish roots, Robert Francis Prevost’s journey toward the papacy in the Midwest began. His mother, Mildred Martínez, was known for preparing irresistible dishes that attracted a steady stream of priests to their family home, while his father, Louis Marius Prevost, served as a catechist. These early influences, along with his experience as an altar server, shaped his vocation.

After earning his degree in mathematics from Villanova University in 1977, Prevost entered the Order of Saint Augustine. He continued his studies by obtaining a master’s degree in theology from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and pursued doctoral studies in canon law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome.

Before his appointment as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in 2023, Prevost worked extensively in Peru, served twice as the prior of the Augustinian Order, and was the bishop of Chiclayo. Despite his American origins, he spent only about a third of his life in the United States, with most of his ministry focused on Latin America and Europe.

Cardinal Prevost’s dual citizenship in the United States and Peru played a significant role in his papal candidacy, as it helped him overcome the traditional reluctance to elect an American pope.

Although he is an American citizen, his decades of service in Peru – where he obtained Peruvian citizenship and served as both a missionary and a bishop – have earned him credibility beyond the borders of the United States.

This dual identity positions him as a bridge-builder between North and South America and embodies what some describe as the first truly “American” pope in a continental sense.
His multicultural background also offers practical advantages. As a polyglot fluent in five languages (English, Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese) and proficient in reading Latin and German, Prevost is able to communicate directly with cardinals and Catholics around the world. This linguistic versatility, combined with his international experience and dual citizenship, has enabled him to navigate both the internal polarization within the Church and the geopolitical challenges that might otherwise have prevented an American from becoming pope.