American Robert Prevost, 69, Elected Pope Leo XIV

Pope Francis brought Robert Prevost to the Vatican in 2023 as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. On Thursday, he ascended to become Pope Leo XIV — the first pontiff from the United States.

Prevost, 69, had to overcome the taboo against an American pope, given the geopolitical power already wielded by the U.S. in the secular sphere.

The Chicago native is also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

He evoked his broad experience in his first public remarks as pope, speaking in Italian, then switching to Spanish — and saying not a word in English as he addressed the crowd in Saint Peter’s Square.

He had prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals have.

Prevost was twice elected prior general, or top leader, of the Augustinians, the 13th-century religious order founded by St. Augustine. Francis clearly had an eye on him for years, moving him from the Augustinian leadership back to Peru in 2014 to serve as the administrator and later archbishop of Chiclayo.

He remained in that position, acquiring Peruvian citizenship in 2015, until Francis brought him to Rome in 2023 to assume the presidency of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. In that job, he would have kept in regular contact with the Catholic hierarchy in the part of the world that counts the most Catholics.

Pope Leo XIV's elevation comes as AARP and the Vatican are teaming up to host a summit on global aging and brain health. That event, “The Memory: A Symposium Addressing the Opportunities and Challenges of an Aging Global Population,” will be held May 9-10 in Rome. AARP CEO Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan said this is a “pivotal moment in addressing one of humanity’s greatest megatrends — the unprecedented aging of our global population,” with more than 1 in 5 people worldwide projected to be over age 60 by 2050. “We have a transformative opportunity to reimagine how societies value, support, empower and include older adults.” Minter-Jordan will deliver the opening and closing remarks at the event.

Ever since arriving in Rome, Prevost has kept a low public profile, but he was well known to the men who count.