'Habemus Papam'

Chicago native Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected head of the Roman Catholic Church yesterday, becoming the first US citizen to hold the office. The 69-year-old (who is also a citizen of Peru) selected Leo XIV as his papal name—a nod toward the late 19th-century Pope Leo XIII, known for opening the church to modernity and emphasizing workers' rights.

Born in Chicago in 1955, Prevost joined the Augustinians in 1977, a missionary order dedicated to unity, harmony, and service. The order stationed Prevost in Peru in 1985, where he served for over a decade, later becoming its leader. In 2015, Pope Francis made Prevost bishop of the diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, later naming him a cardinal and head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops (read bio). Prevost is seen as a centrist; see how his stances compare to Pope Francis’ pontificate here.

Many world leaders applauded the election. A group of survivors of priestly sexual abuse demanded further investigation into allegations Prevost mishandled abusive priests under his watch.