In a selection that surprised most of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics and Vatican-watchers alike, American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected the 267th pope in one of the shortest conclaves in history. He chose the name Pope Leo XIV.
It took less than 48 hours for Leo to earn the two-thirds majority needed in the secret ballot of voting-age cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel, making him the first pontiff from the United States.
President Donald Trump reacted to the historic news on Truth Social. “Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope,” he wrote. “It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”
First Appearances
Leo was visibly emotional when he greeted the thousands gathered from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica Thursday evening. Speaking in Italian and Spanish but not English, he declared, “God loves us, all of us. Evil will not prevail.”
“We have to look together how to be a missionary church, building bridges, dialogue, always open to receiving with open arms for everyone, like this square, open to all, to all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love,” he added.
He celebrated his first mass as the head of the Catholic Church on Friday and called his election both a cross to bear and a blessing. Following in the footsteps of Pope Francis, he was seen wearing simple black shoes instead of the red loafers of the papacy.
His Background
Born in Chicago, the 69-year-old pontiff graduated Villanova University in Philadelphia with a mathematics degree in 1977. He entered the novitiate of the Order of Saint Augustine soon after and was ordained a priest in 1982.
He is the youngest of three boys, and his eldest brother John told Chicago’s WGN on Thursday that “Rob” always knew he wanted to be a priest. In fact, John said two neighbors once predicted he would be the first American pope.
He spent much of his ministry as a missionary in Peru and became a dual citizen in 2015. Pope Francis appointed him the bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo in 2013 before naming him a cardinal in 2023. He also called him to the Vatican to lead the Dicastery for Bishops, a powerful role that oversees the vetting and appointment of bishops around the world.
John told WGN his brother never spoke about becoming pontiff – until just before the conclave began. He said they spoke on Tuesday and the topic of a papal name came up while they were going through their normal routine of playing Words With Friends and Wordle.
“He mentioned Leo. I said, ‘Well, don’t be Leo, because you wouldn’t want to be Leo the thirteenth, and that would be unlucky,’” John noted. “So he did his research, and it was Leo the fourteenth, and that’s what it became.”
He also joked that his brother was up to speed on how the papal selection process would run because he had just finished watching the controversial movie Conclave.
The Surprise
While Leo was considered a possible pick despite his American heritage because of his time in Peru, he was not a frontrunner. Little had been written in the weeks since Pope Francis’ death about what sort of leader Leo XIV might be, but there were a couple voices who raised the possibility.
Former priest Jonathan Morris (who, coincidently, baptized all three of Megyn’s children before he left the priesthood) reported from Rome on Monday that it was “more probable than ever” that there would be an American pope and mentioned Prevost by name.
During an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored last week, Steve Bannon also predicted the Chicagoan. “I do think one of the dark horses – and I think, unfortunately, he is one of the most progressive – is Cardinal Prevost,” Bannon said. “Prevost is one of the ones closest to Francis ideologically. He’s also had tremendous experience in Latin America, and so he’s one of the ones on the short list.”
His Ideology
As it relates to ideology, there has been a lot of speculation about where Leo might fall. Many reports are describing him as a centrist. His home state of Illinois does not register voters by party, but he appears to have voted in several Republican primaries. “He is anti-transing of children and trans ideology. That seems clear from some of his tweets and remarks,” Megyn noted. “He is, of course, against abortion. He doesn’t believe in gay marriage. These are not surprising things for the Catholic Church.”
However, an X account believed to belong to Prevost shared an article in February headlined, “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.” Other tweets and retweets have been critical of Trump and his policies, particularly related to immigration. “I think there is not going to be a pope who is not pro-mass migration… That is Catholicism. They’re very pro-migrant,” Megyn said. “Being pro-migrant doesn’t surprise me.”
Some conservatives see the fact that he chose a traditional papal name and wore the traditional papal garb in his initial appearance – as Benedict XVI did and Francis did not – as encouraging signs.
Megyn said she is not drawing any conclusions at this point. “It is great to see an American pope, and I actually am open-minded to this pope notwithstanding those tweets. I really think even a conservative-leaning pope could have sent out those tweets because, I’m sorry, the Catholic Church is very pro-immigration,” she concluded. “So, I don’t think we know enough about him yet to know what kind of pope he will be.
You can check out Megyn’s full analysis by tuning in to episode 1,069 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.