Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, is the current head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State. He was elected in the 2025 papal conclave as the successor to Pope Francis, becoming the first pope born in North America and the first from the Order of Saint Augustine

. Prevost grew up in the Chicago area and entered the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977. He was ordained a priest in 1982 and spent many years as a missionary, teacher, and parish priest in Peru, where he also became a naturalized citizen. He served as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2023 and was appointed by Pope Francis as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America in 2023. He was made a cardinal the same year

. As pope, Leo XIV emphasizes synodality, missionary dialogue, and engagement with social and technological challenges such as climate change, migration, and human rights. His papal name honors Pope Leo XIII, known for his development of modern Catholic social teaching during the Second Industrial Revolution. Leo XIV sees the ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution, including advances in AI and robotics, as presenting new challenges for defending human dignity and justice

. In summary, Pope Leo XIV is a U.S.-born Augustinian with extensive missionary experience in Latin America, who was elected pope in 2025 and is noted for his focus on social justice, church reform, and contemporary global issues