The reason the first American pope in history has chosen the name Pope Leo XIV has been revealed.
Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025, following a cerebral stroke that resulted in a coma and ultimately led to irreversible heart failure.
His death marked the end of an era and triggered the start of the Catholic Church's sacred transition - a process cloaked in secrecy, tradition, and global anticipation.
The nine-day Novendiale mourning period concluded with the gathering of 133 eligible cardinals inside Vatican City.
Meeting in the Sistine Chapel, they cast their ballots under centuries-old procedures that require a two-thirds majority to elect a new pope.
On Thursday (May 8) afternoon, just two days after voting began, white smoke billowed into the sky above St. Peter’s Basilica, signaling a decision had been made.
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, an American born in Chicago, had been elected as the 267th pontiff, making history as the first U.S.-born pope in history. The crowd in the square erupted in cheers as the new pope stepped onto the balcony and greeted the world.
“Peace be with all of you,” the 69-year-old said in Italian. “Brothers and sisters dearest, this is the first greeting of Christ resurrected. I would like to offer a greeting of peace to reach your families, all of you, wherever you are. May peace be with you.”
He will be known as Pope Leo XIV, a name with significant historical and symbolic weight.
While popes are not required to adopt a new name, every one in the past 470 years has chosen to do so. The decision often reflects a desire to honor a predecessor and signal the papal path ahead.
By selecting the name Leo, Prevost drew a direct connection to Pope Leo XIII, who served from 1878 to 1903 and is remembered for his intellectual depth and social vision.
Father Vito Crincoli, a Vatican spokesperson, emphasized the meaning of this choice: “Looking to the history, Leos were strong popes. Like Leo XIII, he loved his people. His people, he considered man not a machine. A man's work was a reflection of his dignity,” per ABC News.
Leo XIII’s encyclical Rerum Novarum, known as the foundation of the Church’s modern social doctrine, is a defining document of his papacy.
“We don't know this yet, but it'd be really interesting to know why he took the name Leo,” Crincoli added.
Pope Leo XIV’s first words reflected a vision deeply rooted in dialogue and inclusion.
"We must seek together how to be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges (and) dialogue, always open to receive (people), like this square, with open arms - everyone, all those who need our charity, our presence, dialogue and love," he said, cited by Reuters.
He also addressed his diocese in Peru, switching to Spanish to thank “a loyal people” who “shared its faith and has given a lot".
Prevost’s journey to the papacy was anything but conventional. A member of the Order of Saint Augustine, he earned a Bachelor’s in mathematics from Villanova University, a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, and a Doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
He was ordained in 1982 and spent a large part of his ministry in Peru, serving in missionary roles and seminary leadership before becoming Bishop of Chiclayo in 2015.
He led the diocese until 2023, when he was appointed Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America by Pope Francis, two of the most influential positions in the Vatican. He was made a Cardinal that same year.
Described as calm, intelligent, and compassionate by those who know him, Pope Leo XIV has built a reputation for steady leadership and quiet strength.
“My experience of Cardinal Prevost was that he's not a showboat,” Fr. Mark R. Francis, a former classmate, said, CBS News reported. “He's a person who's very sensitive and is concerned to allow everyone to have a voice.”
The pope is considered progressive on many social issues, yet is widely seen as a centrist, capable of balancing the Church’s competing voices.
His support for the inclusion of women in Vatican leadership was more than symbolic. “There is a real, genuine, and meaningful participation that they offer at our meetings,” he said of the three women appointed to the Dicastery for Bishops, per CNN.
He has also been outspoken about the Church’s responsibility in addressing clerical abuse. “There are places where good work has already been done for years, and the rules are being put into practice,” he said. “At the same time, I believe that there is still much to learn.”
News of his election resonated far beyond Vatican City. U.S. President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to share his reaction: “Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope."
"It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!” he added.