Who Is The New Pope After Francis?

After only two days of deliberation in the papal conclave, a new Pope has been appointed. 

As is the custom, Cardinal Dominique Mamberti took to the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to deliver the Habemus Papam blessing. Then, he said a name that not many were expecting: Robert Francis Prevost.

Prevost — who will now go by Pope Leo XIV — is officially the first American to hold the auspicious title. His first words to the 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide: "Peace be with you all." He then went on to say, in part:

"We have to seek together to be a missionary church. A church that builds bridges and dialogue."

The address also included a Hail Mary prayer, which prompted onlookers to pray along with him — many recording the moment on their phones.

This was obviously a momentous — and bittersweet — occasion, which came only weeks after the death of Pope Francis. And now that the white smoke has blown away in the wind and the future of the Catholic Church is once again in the hands of a single individual, people all across the world are wondering: Just who is Pope Leo XIV?

Born in Chicago in 1955, he was ordained as a priest in 1982 in Rome. There, he earned a doctorate in canon law at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. Much of his career was spent in South America, where he served in the Order of St. Augustine in a variety of capacities. He received Peruvian citizenship in 2015. More recently, he served as head of the Dicastery for Bishops, which is a Vatican office that deals with the appointment of bishops on a global scale.

While his history is certainly of interest to everyone, many are more interested in what Pope Leo XIV is like as a person. How does he generally carry himself? What are his sensibilities? From the sound of things, he's not necessarily the touchy-feely type. Father Falcone, a priest in the Order of St. Augustine who considers him as a mentor, told The New York Times, "He does not have excesses. Blessing babies, yes. Taking them in his arms, no."

However, despite his reserved nature, he is still known for championing the needs of the poor and walking among them with open arms. As he told the Vatican's official news website recently, "The bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom."

Of course, this sentiment very closely mirrors that of his predecessor. Pope Francis — whose papacy lasted for 12 years — will likely be remembered most for his constant focus on helping the needy worldwide. As Cardinal Blase Cupich said in an interview with ABC News, "He always wanted to make sure, as he said from the very beginning of his papacy, that the church was positioned to be a field hospital for the world."

From the sound of things, it definitely seems like Pope Leo XIV will be taking the same approach when it comes to advocating for the impoverished. However, being that he is ultimately considered "middle of the road" across the board, it's hard to say how much or how little his approach to the papacy will differ from that of Pope Francis in other ways.