9 Things You Should Know About Pope Leo XIV

By Joe Carter

The gospel COALITION

May 11, 2025

On May 8, 2025, the Catholic Church announced the election of a new pope. American-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost is now Pope Leo XIV, the head of the Catholic Church and spiritual leader to more than a billion Catholics worldwide. He’ll wield significant influence as the 267th pontiff, guiding Roman Catholic teaching and engaging with global issues.

But why should evangelicals care about the new pope? As Chris Castaldo has said, “Whether we like it or not, the pope is, in a certain (global) sense, the single most significant Christian voice in the world.” What the pope says and does will affect how Christianity is perceived globally—and that includes how the world understands evangelical Christians.

Here are nine things you should know about Pope Leo XIV.

1. The Chicago-born Prevost is the first North American pope.

Leo XIV was born Robert Francis Prevost on September 14, 1955, in Chicago. Raised in a devout Catholic family in suburban Dolton, he grew up attending church with his parents and two brothers. His election marks a historic first since no previous pope has come from the United States or North America.

Prevost is also a naturalized citizen of Peru, where he spent much of his adult life and ministry. He later served as a bishop in Chiclayo, Peru. At 69 years old, he’s slightly younger than recent popes were at the start of their papacies, suggesting he could, if he remains healthy, potentially serve for many years to come.

2. He is a member of the Augustinian order and served as its leader.

Prevost is an ordained friar of the Order of Saint Augustine (OSA), a Catholic religious order dating back to the 13th century and inspired by the teachings of Augustine of Hippo. He entered the Augustinian novitiate and took his first monastic vows in 1978, and was ordained to the priesthood in the Augustinian order in 1982. Augustinian members, known as friars, preach, evangelize, and serve the poor while living in poverty themselves.

Prevost rose to leadership within the order: In 1999, he became provincial superior of the Augustinians in the Chicago area, and in 2001, he was elected prior general (global head) of the Augustinian order. He served two terms (2001–13) as the order’s worldwide leader. This background makes Leo XIV the first Augustinian friar to be elected as pope in modern times and one of only a handful of popes ever to come from the Augustinians. (Notably, the order also produced Martin Luther—the reformer began his monkhood as an Augustinian friar.)

3. He is highly educated and multilingual.

Prevost has an impressive academic résumé. After earning an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Villanova University in 1977, he went on to obtain a master of divinity (MDiv) from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago as part of his seminary formation. At age 27, his order sent him to Rome for advanced studies, where he earned both a licentiate and a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (also known as the Angelicum).

He’s also fluent in multiple languages (including English, Spanish, and Italian) and has taught subjects ranging from canon law to patristics (study of the Church Fathers) during his years as a seminary instructor in Peru.

4. Pope Francis was instrumental in his rise to prominence.

Leo XIV owes much of his career to Pope Francis, under whom he served in recent years. Francis first selected Prevost to help lead the church in Peru. Then, in late 2014, he named Prevost as the apostolic administrator (and soon after, bishop) of Chiclayo.

Later, recognizing Prevost’s abilities, Francis summoned him to Rome. In early 2023, Francis appointed Prevost as the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, the Vatican office that vets and oversees the appointment of Catholic bishops worldwide. This is considered one of the most powerful positions in the Vatican, since it shapes the future leadership of the global church. At the same time, Prevost was made president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, keeping him in close contact with the church in the Americas. Francis also elevated Prevost to the College of Cardinals in 2023, a move that signaled trust and positioned him as a potential successor.

5. His election as pope broke an old taboo.

When the conclave of cardinals met, Prevost quickly emerged as a leading candidate to become the next pope. Still, his election required the electors to overcome a long-standing unwritten rule against choosing an American. For centuries, there was a hesitance to elect a pope from the United States, given America’s status as a global superpower. Many feared a States-born pope might be seen as too politically tied to a dominant nation.

Prevost’s unique background helped allay those concerns: Although an American native, he had lived abroad for much of his career and even held dual nationality, highlighting his international perspective.

6. He chose the name Leo XIV.

The first act of a new pope after he’s elected is to choose a new name. This name, Leo, hadn’t been used by a pope in more than 120 years, when the last Pope Leo (Leo XIII) died in 1903. By choosing that name, the new pope may be signaling admiration for his namesakes.

For instance, Pope Leo XIII is remembered for his intellectual rigor and social teaching, and Pope Leo I (“Leo the Great”) was a champion of orthodoxy in the early church and a skilled negotiator (his papacy included a famous meeting with Attila the Hun where Leo talked him out of attacking Rome). While Leo XIV hasn’t publicly explained his choice, the selection of this historic name emphasizes continuity with the church’s past and the papal tradition.

7. He is seen as conservative in doctrine.

Vatican observers generally describe Leo XIV as a moderate or centrist in the Catholic hierarchy. On doctrinal and moral issues, Prevost tends to be on the more traditional side. For example, he has opposed proposals to ordain women as deacons, aligning with the Catholic Church’s historic practice of a male-only clergy.

Similarly, he’s expected to uphold particular Catholic teachings, such as devotion to Mary. He may champion reforms in church governance or outreach (he notably supported Francis’s move to include women in certain Vatican decision-making bodies), but he isn’t seen as a doctrinal innovator.

8. He is less progressive than Francis on LGBT+ issues and gender ideology.

While Francis moved the church (at least rhetorically) toward a more liberal stance on sexual ethics, Leo XIV has voiced concern about “gender ideology” and has criticized Western media for promoting “sympathy for beliefs and practices that contradict the gospel,” specifically mentioning the “homosexual lifestyle” and same-sex families. He opposed government efforts in Peru to introduce gender teaching in schools, describing them as confusing and unbiblical.

9. Leo XIV’s pro-life credentials are strong and consistent.

Prevost is widely recognized for his unwavering and public commitment to pro-life principles. As bishop in Peru, he was an outspoken advocate for protecting unborn life. He also participated in and promoted the March for Life in Chiclayo, sharing photos from the event and urging followers on social media to “defend human life at all times!” He has consistently amplified Catholic teaching against abortion, retweeting and endorsing statements from other Catholic leaders, such as Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who called the womb the “primal sanctuary, where a helpless, innocent, fragile, tiny baby is safe, secure, nurtured and protected.” Prevost’s public record leaves little doubt about his alignment with the Catholic Church’s opposition to abortion.

He has also spoken out against euthanasia and assisted suicide. In 2016, he shared articles warning of the dangers of legalizing euthanasia, highlighting the experiences of Belgian Catholics who cautioned against such laws. He argued that assisted suicide endangers the vulnerable and undermines the trust between doctors and patients, reinforcing the church’s defense of life until natural death.

Addendum: As evangelicals, we at The Gospel Coalition hold to significant theological differences with the Catholic Church and the papacy as an institution. But understanding Pope Leo XIV’s background and convictions helps us engage more thoughtfully with our Catholic neighbors and global Christianity. While Leo XIV’s biography is impressive, and his commitment to life is clear, his first acts and words as pope reaffirm Catholic distinctives that set Rome apart from the biblical gospel. His papacy will likely continue the church’s emphasis on Marian devotion and Roman authority. As always, we’re called to speak the truth in love, praying for gospel clarity and faithfulness to Christ alone, even as we seek to understand and engage with this new global leader.