Robert Francis Prevost Martinez (Chicago, 1955) is not only the first American Pope, but also the first Augustinian and the second Latin pontiff, with Spanish blood through his mother (Mildred Martinez). In his first appearance on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, he even wanted to dedicate a few words in Spanish to his "beloved diocese of Chiclayo in Peru", his adopted country after 30 years as a missionary (to the point of acquiring dual American-Peruvian nationality).
Prior to being consecrated as "the Pope of peace" for his constant references in his first message, Prevost was actually serving as president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, which made him one of the candidates for the "continuity" of Francis, to whom he dedicated emotional words in his speech.
More moderate and pragmatic than his predecessor, his pastoral dimension raised his profile among the cardinals, who also knew him well as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. His experience as a shepherd, his philosophical and theological background (with years of study in Rome), his multilingualism (he speaks six languages), and his status as a global citizen (his father, Louis Marius Prevost, had French and Italian ancestry) all served to enhance his profile.
"I am a son of St. Augustine. I am a Christian and a bishop. We can walk together towards that homeland for which God has prepared us," said the new Pope as an introduction, before thousands of faithful who saw him as a complete stranger (despite being a constant presence in the papal betting odds).
Born in Chicago, he completed his studies at the minor seminary of the Augustinian Fathers. His religious vocation progressed alongside his interest in Philosophy and Mathematics. His first degree in 1973 was precisely in Mathematical Sciences at Villanova University. He later studied at the Catholic Theological Union in his hometown before moving to Rome to earn a degree in Canon Law at the Angelicum University, presenting a thesis titled "The Role of the Local Prior in the Order of St. Augustine."
Since 1977, as an Augustinian, he began his pastoral journey in Saint Louis and was later assigned to the mission in Chulucanas, Peru, leveraging his ties to his home country to support the missions. He eventually ended up in the mission of Trujillos, where he served as prior of the community and also played an intense educational role as director of the Augustinian formation project.
He was the founder and parish priest for seven years at the Parish of Our Lady of Monserrat before returning to his hometown as prior. For a decade, he also served as the Prior General of the Order of St. Augustine. Interestingly, his life has been marked by his transitions between Chicago and Chiclayo, a resonance that he emphasized in his first speech as Leo XIV.
Pope Francis acknowledged his work by appointing him as Bishop of Chiclayo in 2015, the same year he obtained Peruvian nationality. He was consecrated in 2023 when the Argentine pontiff decided to simultaneously place him at the helm of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the Dicastery for Bishops, and shortly after decided to appoint him as a cardinal.
Linked to Francis by a long friendship and cultural affinity, Leo XIV also shares his social and reformist vision of the Church. His chosen pontifical name is a direct homage to Leo XIII, the architect of the Rerum Novarum.
Robert Prevost was indeed among the favorites for the succession of Francis from the outset, although his name had taken a back seat to the momentum of Secretary of State Pietro Parolin (considered the favorite at the start of the conclave) and the cardinals Pizzaballa, Zuppi, Aveline, and Tagle, among others. However, his candidacy regained strength at the beginning of the conclave alongside that of the Filipino Pablo Virgilio David.
His election has been celebrated with joy in Latin America, where he is considered "one of our own." In Peru, dozens of parishes joined the global jubilation with bell tolls that rivaled those of St. Peter's Basilica during the proclamation of Habemus Papam.
"Peace be with you" were his first words, with which he aims to drive his pontificate. Vatican experts have emphasized the symbolic power with which the Vatican has wanted to invest his appointment, in a historical period marked by wars and turmoil. There have been analysts who suggest a dual intentionality as a counterpoint to President Trump, who last week saw his AI-generated image as Pope circulating on social media and now considers it "a great honor" to have a compatriot in the Vatican.
Provost has stood out for his commitment to the poor, following in the footsteps of Francis, and for his defense of immigrants, although it is expected that he will have a less political approach than Francis, in a kind of "renewal of continuity." His constant references to his predecessor, however, leave no doubt about his intention to continue with the social commitment of his Jesuit predecessor, albeit with an Augustinian motto that he subtly inserted in his first message - "Anima una et cor unum in Deum" ("One heart and one soul in God").