On May 8, 2025, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost left the papal conclave—a gathering of the College of Cardinals to select the new pope of the Catholic Church—as Pope Leo XIV.

He is the first pope from the United States, and he is also a citizen of Peru. As a member of the Order of Saint Augustine, Pope Leo XIV values community within the Catholic Church, missionary work, and service to others.

This proved especially true during the decades he spent living in Peru, first as a priest and later as a bishop. Learn about Pope Leo XIV’s work in Peru, his beliefs on current topics such as artificial intelligence and climate change, and his journey to becoming the 267th pope of the Catholic Church.