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By Winnie Kamau
Nairobi, Kenya: Pope Leo XIV greeted the world for the first time to grant his Urbi et Orbi blessing. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as the 267th Successor of Peter by the 133 Cardinal electors.
The Chicago-born missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and took over the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops was elected the first pope from the United States in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.
In his first words as Pope Francis’ successor, uttered from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, Leo, 69, said, “Peace be with you,” and emphasized a message of peace, dialogue and missionary evangelization. He wore the traditional red cape of the papacy — a cape that Francis had eschewed on his election in 2013. He spoke to the crowd in Italian and Spanish, but not English.
Who is Robert Prevost? The former pope, Francis, brought Prevost, 69, to the Vatican in 2023 to serve as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations from around the world, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church. As a result, Prevost has a prominence going into the conclave that few other cardinals had.
What is the order of St. Augustine? Religious orders — which can include priests, nuns, monks and even lay people — dedicate themselves to a particular type of mission and spirituality. A core value of the order Prevost led is to “live together in harmony, being of one mind and one heart on the way to God.” Six popes before Leo XIV were Augustinians.
How was the new pope chosen? 135 eligible cardinals participated in a secretive voting process known as “the conclave.” The cardinals had no contact with the outside world, and their votes will not be revealed.
