“Peace be with you.” Not just a greeting, but a proclamation. With these words, the new Pope addressed the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, choosing not to say the usual “good evening” but to offer, from the very first moment, a sign of peace—just as the Risen Christ greeted His disciples. He has been proclaimed Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, an American cardinal, an Augustinian, a man of solid theological and philosophical formation. His election comes at a time when the Church stands before a world torn by conflict and division, yet profoundly thirsty for spirituality.
An International and Pastoral Profile
Robert Francis Prevost was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago. In 1977, he entered the Order of St. Augustine, making his solemn profession in 1981. He studied theology at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and earned a licentiate and later a doctorate in canon law at the Angelicum in Rome.
His ministry has been marked by a blend of teaching, missionary work, and leadership within the Augustinian Order: missionary in Peru, formator, provincial prior, and then prior general of the Order for two terms (2001–2013). Later, he served as bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, and as a member of various Vatican dicasteries. Since 2023, he had been Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, roles that affirmed his authority in Church governance.
Signs of a Pontificate Oriented Toward Peace
Not only his words, but also his gestures speak volumes: Leo XIV appeared wearing the stole and sacred vestments, restoring traditional liturgical symbols that were set aside during Pope Francis’ first appearance. This return to the sacred dimension of the Petrine ministry does not deny simplicity but reaffirms the Church’s ritual continuity.
His inaugural greeting—“Peace be with you”—takes on both prophetic and political significance in today’s context: a call for reconciliation in a world marked by devastating wars, and a sign of a Church that guards and proclaims the peace of Christ.
The Choice of Name: Leo XIV Between Doctrine and Social Justice
Choosing the name Leo XIV evokes powerful figures in Church history: Leo XIII, author of Rerum Novarum and pioneer of Catholic social teaching; but also Leo the Great, defender of the faith and ecclesial communion in times of heresy and invasion.
It suggests a Pontiff capable of holding together doctrine and social concern, pastoral firmness and openness to dialogue. Not a mere return to tradition, but a renewed commitment to truth and charity, rooted in the Augustinian legacy of the search for inner truth and grace.
An American Pope: A Sign for the Universal Church?
Being the first North American Pope offers an important perspective: a universal Church, capable of intercultural dialogue without yielding to the logic of homogenizing globalism, but instead promoting the dignity and specificity of peoples, as affirmed by Catholic social teaching.
His long missionary and academic experience in Latin America makes him a natural bridge among diverse cultures and ecclesial sensibilities, fostering a spirit of communion that values differences while safeguarding identities.
In a time of polarization both inside and outside the Church, Leo XIV emerges as a figure capable of mending divisions: between progressives and traditionalists, center and periphery, culture and faith—upholding unity without uniformity.
First Impressions and Hopes
These first hours give us the image of a Pope who holds great promise: rooted in tradition without nostalgia, attentive to contemporary challenges without doctrinal compromise, oriented toward peace and reconciliation.
He needs our prayers, for the mission entrusted to him is great and challenging: to guide the Church in a time of war and division, and to restore to the world the hope of a peace that comes from Christ.
His inaugural words—“Peace be with you”—are already a program in themselves. And we, the People of God, welcome him with gratitude, hope, and prayer.