Leo XIV — SPARQNOW

At-a-Glance

Serves as the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City
First Pope born in the United States and the first to hold U.S. or Peruvian citizenships
Earned a Doctor of Canon Law (JCD) in 1987 from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome
Served as prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine (2001-2013) and Bishop of Chiclayo (2015-2023)
Appointed Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America by Pope Francis in 2023
Addresses issues such as climate change, global migration, church governance, human rights, and warns about artificial intelligence technology
Emphasizes synodality, missionary dialogue, and alignment with the reforms of the Second Vatican Council

Biography

Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955, is the current head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City. He holds the distinction of being the first pope born in the United States, the first to possess either U.S.

or Peruvian citizenships, and the first from the Order of Saint Augustine. He is the second pope from the Americas, following his immediate predecessor, Pope Francis.