The 133 cardinals chose him as a new Pontiff Sovereign, this Thursday, May 8 at the Vatican.
Robert Francis Prevost was born in Chicago on September 14, 1955. His mother is Italian and his father is French, even if he does not speak the language. After completing his secondary studies and then obtained a baccalaureate in mathematical sciences in 1977 in Pennsylvania, he decided in the wake of becoming a priest by integrating the order of Saint-Augustin.
American … but Peruvian
He joined the Augustinian mission in Peru in 1985. In 2015, Cardinal Prevost became a naturalized citizen of Peru. In 2015, according to some sources, Cardinal Prevost was naturalized Peruvian, then there too in the process he became bishop of Chiclayo until 2023. He was appointed to this post by … Pope Francis, who will therefore take him under his wing.
On November 21, 2020, François appointed him member of the Congregation for the Bishops. Then Prevost had a private audience with François on March 1, 2021, fueling speculation on a new assignment in Chicago or Rome.
-With the help of François
But on January 30, 2023, François appointed prefect of the Dicastery prefect for the bishops with the title of Archbishop-Evêque Emeritus de Chiclayo. During a consistory on September 30, the Cardinal-Diacre church was made of the Santa Monica Degli Agostiniani church in Rome. Finally, on February 6, 2025, François promoted Prévost Cardinal-Évêque, allowing him de facto to participate in the conclave.
Even if it is a surprise election, Prévost was considered a potential candidate for papacy. Close to François, the future Léon XIV is considered “close to the people”. “A bishop should not be a prince but a man close to his people,” he said in 2024, recalls La Dépêche du Midi.
A more nuanced profile
Finally, even if he shares certain points of view with Donald Trump, he is rather in opposition to the policy of the American president. It is like a bridge between Latin America and the North Amrique, like over the wall erected on the Mexican border by Donald Trump.
Rather agree with François’ policy, PREVOST was criticized by defenders of the victims of abuse committed by the clergy concerning his management of allegations of sexual abuse during his mandate within the Order of Augustins and in Peru. He is also very careful about LGBTQIA +issues, according to him “practices contrary to the Gospel”.
