Leo XIV, who was elected pope in May 2025, is known for being the first American to lead the Roman Catholic Church. Born Robert Prevost in Chicago in 1955, he was one of three sons in a humble Midwestern family. His parents, Louis and Mildred (Martínez) Prevost, were a school principal and a librarian, respectively.
Prevost entered the Augustinian order in 1977 and made his final vows four years later. Along with being the first American pope, he is the first Augustinian to lead the church.
In the first year of his pontificate, Leo spoke out on such issues as the rights of migrants, environmental protections, the rise of artificial intelligence, and divisions in the Catholic Church regarding the traditionalist movement and the traditional Latin mass. Many of his statements reflected the agenda of his predecessor, Pope Francis (reigned 2013–25). Leo’s firm stance against war attracted criticism from U.S. politicians, especially Pres. Donald Trump and Vice Pres. JD Vance. However, the American pope consistently responded to such criticisms by reminding the world that his role is that of a peacemaker.