For the first time in history, the Roman Catholic Church has elected an American pope, Robert Francis Prevost, who has taken the name Leo XIV. Born in Chicago in 1955 and raised in Dolton, Illinois, Prevost’s ecclesiastical career includes roles in Peru and leadership positions within the Order of St. Augustine, culminating in his promotion to cardinal in 2024. Despite facing allegations regarding his oversight of abuse cases, Prevost has been a proponent of outreach to marginalized communities and has now ascended to the papacy, succeeding a lineage of Italian, Polish, German, and Argentine popes.
