Who is Robert Prevost, the new Pope Leo XIV?
Even before his name was announced from the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, the crowds below were chanting "Viva il Papa" - Long live the Pope.Robert Prevost, 69, will be the 267th occupant of the throne of St Peter and he will be known as Leo XIV. He will be the first American to fill the role of Pope, although he is considered as much a cardinal from Latin America because of the many years he spent as a missionary in Peru, before becoming an archbishop there.He has Peruvian nationality and is fondly remembered as a figure who worked with marginalised communities and helped build bridges in the local Church.Born in Chicago in 1955, Prevost served as an altar boy and was ordained as a priest in 1982. In his first words as Pope, Leo XIV spoke fondly of his predecessor Francis. "We still hear in our ears the weak but always courageous voice of Pope Francis who blessed us," he said."United and hand in hand with God, let us advance together," he told cheering crowds. He told the crowd listening in St Peter's that he was a member of the Augustinian Order. He was 30 when he moved to Peru as part of an Augustinian mission. Francis made him Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru a year after becoming Pope.He is well known to cardinals across the globe because of his high-profile role of prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.As 80% of the cardinals who took part in the conclave were appointed by Francis, it is not all that surprising that someone like Prevost was elected. He will be seen as a figure who favoured the continuity of Francis' reforms in the Catholic Church.Although he is an American, and will be fully aware of the divisions within the Catholic Church, his Latin American background also represents continuity after a Pope who came from Argentina.Although during his time as archbishop in Peru he has not escaped the sexual abuse scandals that have clouded the Church, his diocese fervently denied he had been involved in any attempted cover-up. Before the conclave, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said that during gatherings of the College of Cardinals in the days before the conclave they emphasised the need for a pope with "a prophetic spirit capable of leading a Church that does not close in on itself but knows how to go out and bring light to a world marked by despair".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
40 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Chicago taxpayers to pay $1.3M for unbuilt migrant camp
Illinois taxpayers will be forced to fork over a whopping $1.3 million for an unfinished migrant encampment, despite assurances from officials that the state wouldn't foot the bill. In an effort to curb the influx of migrants in Chicago, work on the shelter started before it had a full environmental review. After reports revealed hazardous levels of toxins in the soil at the Brighton Park site, the project was abruptly halted in December 2023. Now, taxpayers are responsible for the $1.3 million cost of the unfinished project, according to the Chicago Tribune. Before construction even began, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (pictured) stated that the private contractor hired to build the shelter, GardaWorld, was 'willing to take liability' if the site was found to be unusable. 'The understanding with GardaWorld is that they will do other work with us,' Pritzker said in December 2023. 'And they knew, as they were building this shelter, before the environmental report came in, that it was possible that the environmental report wouldn't allow the building - the completion, rather - of the shelter. And so they understood that, and they were willing to take that liability on through the state's contract.' Officials with Pritzker's office also said the company had agreed not to charge the state if the land was deemed unsafe. However, a spokesperson for the governor has since confirmed that the state will pay GardaWorld for work already performed. 'GardaWorld sought payment based on its claim that it performed a substantial amount of work at the State's request,' Pritzker spokesperson Alex Gough told WGN. 'The State negotiated and settled that claim in the Court of Claims.' According to Court of Claims records, the Department of Human Services and GardaWorld agreed the company was owed the huge sum 'for services rendered at the 38th Street and California Avenue site' during the state budget year ending June 30, 2024. The settlement states the funds will serve as 'full payment and satisfaction of all claims' related to the site. The payment is scheduled for the next state budget year beginning July 1, pending Pritzker's expected signature on the spending plan, the Chicago Tribune reported. No explanation as to why the state agreed to pay - even as it was under no legal obligation to do so - has been offered. Unfortunately for taxpayers, the settlement isn't the only cost for the unused site. The city spent an additional $1.7 million on environmental cleanup and a settlement with the property's owner, which according to the mayor's office will provide a 'lasting community benefit.'
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Anti-ICE protests spread across major US cities as Trump accused of ‘abuse of power'
Protests against Trump 's immigration crackdown, which began in Los Angeles, have spread to major cities including Seattle, Chicago, and New York. Many protests have been peaceful, but some have resulted in clashes with police and arrests. In New York City, thousands protested in Foley Square, with signs reading 'ICE out of New York.' In Chicago, a crowd marched through downtown streets chanting, 'No more deportations!' California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized Trump's deployment of National Guard troops without his permission, claiming it was a 'brazen abuse of power.'
The Independent
7 hours ago
- The Independent
Protests increasing across the country as anger grows over Trump's immigration crackdown
Protests over Trump 's immigration raids that began in Los Angeles continued to spread to other major cities across the county on Tuesday, with activists planning even more demonstrations in the coming days. From Los Angeles to Seattle, Chicago and New York, many of the protests have been peaceful, but some have resulted in clashes with the police and arrests, the Associated Press reported. In New York City, thousands filled Foley Square in Lower Manhattan to protest the government's actions. Many held signs reading 'ICE out of New York,' while others chanted, 'Why are you in riot gear? I don't see no riot here.' Police said multiple people were taken into custody. In Chicago, a crowd marched through downtown streets drumming and chanting, 'No more deportations!' and 'Trump must go now.' A car was driven through the street filled with protesters, causing them to scatter, but it was not immediately known whether anyone had been injured. By late Tuesday, the demonstration had grown to at least a thousand protesters, according to reports. The protests continued to grow in response to Trump's immigration crackdown from Friday that has been met with resistance from Los Angeles residents. California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a Tuesday night address that more than 220 people have been arrested so far amid the protests against ICE raids in Los Angeles. 'If you incite violence or destroy our communities, you're going to be held to account. That kind of criminal behavior will not be tolerated. Full stop,' Newsom said. The governor said that officials are reviewing footage to build more cases, 'and people will be prosecuted.' He criticized Trump for his decision to deploy thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles without his permission in response to the protests. Newsom claimed the move was illegal and a 'brazen abuse of power.'
