At exactly 6:08 p.m. on May 8th, billowing white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel – and with it, a new chapter in Church history. The crowd in St. Peter’s Square erupted in joy and surprise: few had expected the next pope to be American. But Pope Leo XIV (born Robert Francis Prevost) brings decades of international experience — including years as a missionary and archbishop in Peru — that already hinted at his ability to transcend borders — and to unify a divided Church. His election took just four ballots — a rare show of unity among the 133 cardinals – suggesting a moment shaped by providence and global urgency.
Born in Chicago on September 14th, 1955, to Spanish and Franco-Italian parents, Pope Leo XIV’s journey began as