[By Guancha Observer, Wang Yi] On May 8 local time, Robert Prevost, a cardinal from the United States, appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. He was elected as the 267th Roman Catholic Pope in the papal conclave and became known as Leo XIV.

The birth of the first American-born Pope has brought great honor to Trump.

"Peace be with you," Prevost said fluently in Italian and Spanish to the cheering crowd on August 8, paying tribute to the late Pope Francis, thanking the "cardinal brothers" for choosing him as the Pope, and promising to build a church that serves as a bridge, fosters dialogue, and is always open to embrace. However, he did not say a single word in English.

The new Pope speaks to the cheering crowd. Visual China

Robert Prevost was born in Chicago, USA in 1955. In his early career, he worked at St. Augustine Monastery in Chicago. From 1985 to 1986, he was in Peru, and in 1987, he was appointed as a professional priest and missionary director of the St. Augustine Monastery in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Prevost returned to Peru in 1988 and served as the Dean of the Trujillo Augustine Theological Seminary for the next ten years. In 1998, he was elected the President of the St. Augustine Monastery in the Archdiocese of Chicago and officially took office in the United States on March 8, 1999. He was elected the President of the St. Augustine Monastery in 2001.

In 2014, Francis appointed Prevost as the Bishop of Chiclayo in northern Peru, and he held this position until 2023 when Francis transferred him to Vatican City. During his tenure, he obtained Peruvian nationality in 2015.

After the news of Prevost becoming the new Pope was announced, Trump immediately posted on his self-created social media platform, "Truth Social," saying, "I am deeply honored that he is the first American Pope. This is such an exciting moment, and it is also a great honor for our country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. This will be a meaningful moment!"

Vice President Vance also wrote on the social media platform X: "I believe millions of American Catholics and Christians will pray for his success in leading the Church. May God bless him!"

Politico reported that although the cardinals chose an American to lead the Catholic Church for the first time, the Pope, who was born in Chicago, seems incompatible with Trump's administration's "America First" policy.

"But it's not hard to imagine future conflicts," Politico reported that like his predecessor, Prevost comes from a more progressive and inclusive faction within the Catholic Church. In his first speech from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, he emphasized the importance of peace and building bridges, although it appears that he still holds traditional Catholic views on LGBTQ+ issues.

Homepage of the social media account "Robert Prevost." X Platform

Politico expressed confusion about the cardinals' choice of an American Pope but pointed out that this decision came at a critical moment when America's position on the world stage is more uncertain than ever before—America has significantly reduced foreign aid, become increasingly reluctant to get involved in global conflicts, and is no longer willing to act as the "world police."

Associated Press (AP) believes that given America's geopolitical power, it has long been considered taboo for an American to become Pope. However, Prevost's Peruvian citizenship and experiences there gave him a Latin American background. The cardinals may have thought that the 21st-century world order could withstand an American Pope.

Successor to Francis's ideas?

"I don't know if the new Pope will be substantially different in essence or whether he will continue 'We must take care of the poor' (the approach), which is obviously what he should do," conservative commentator and Catholic Ramesh Ponnuru said. "But because of Prevost's upbringing in the U.S., he may not issue the kind of condemnation we see from Francis."

Some church observers said that Prevost differs in style from Francis, and he might adopt a more cautious approach compared to his outspoken predecessor. Francis recently had a conflict with Vance over a theological concept about the structure of love—"ordo amoris" (order of love).

Francis has been heavily criticized by American conservative Catholics. Politico reported that Prevost's election coincides with a crucial moment when regularly attending Americans are leaning right while the leadership of the Catholic Church is moving leftward.

Prevost participates in activities in Peru. AP

In 2023, Francis transferred him to Vatican City to serve as the Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization. In February 2025, Francis appointed Prevost as a Cardinal Bishop.

Prevost has openly supported many agendas promoted by Francis, including the "Synodality" spirit of the Church. AP reported that during his time in Vatican City, Prevost, like Francis, was dedicated to aligning the Church with modern times. He included three women in the voting committee deciding on bishop nominations and allowed discussions on controversial issues.

However, according to BBC reports, Prevost was accused of being involved in covering up sexual abuse scandals within the church during his time in Peru and faced condemnation from relevant organizations. However, the Church strongly denied these accusations.

The report also noted that Prevost's decision to name himself Leo Prevost indicates that he continues some of the main concerns of Francis. The last Pope named Leo was the Italian Leo XIII, who led the Church from 1878 to 1903. Leo XIII softened the Church's confrontational stance toward modern affairs, especially science and politics, and laid the foundation for modern Catholic social thought. His most famous encyclical, "Rerum Novarum" in 1891, explored workers' rights and capitalism issues during the early stages of the Industrial Revolution. Vatican observers stated that considering the legacy of the previous Leo Popes in terms of social equity and reform, Prevost's decision to name himself Leo Prevost is particularly significant, indicating his inheritance of some of Francis's main concerns.

However, AP also noticed that although Prevost thanked Francis's contributions in his first speech, he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica wearing traditional papal attire, which contrasts with Francis, who abandoned the traditional red cape when he was elected in 2013. Prevost's action seemed to suggest a certain return to tradition within the Church.

Nevertheless, Catholics around the world are currently still immersed in the excitement of the new Pope's election. Rosario Gonzales, a 72-year-old retired accountant and Filipino-American Catholic, said she has no preference for an American Pope. "The nationality of the Pope doesn't matter; he is still my Pope."

This article is an exclusive contribution from Guancha Observer and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7502332734728077839/

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