Pope Leo XIV[a] (born Robert Francis Prevost, 14 September 1955) is the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 8 May 2025.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, United States, Prevost spent the early part of his career there working for the Augustinians. He served in Peru from 1985 to 1986 and from 1988 to 1998 as a parish pastor, diocesan official, seminary teacher and administrator. He was made a cardinal in 2023. He served as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America since 2023. He served as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2023, and was general of the Order of Saint Augustine from 2001 to 2013. In 2023, Pope Francis appointed Prevost as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, a prominent role that elevated his profile as a potential papal candidate.
On 8 May 2025, he was elected pope, taking the papal name Leo XIV. Born in the United States, he is also a Peruvian citizen.