( Le défenseur info)– Habemus Papam! On May 8, the Catholic Church chose its new spiritual leader. Against all odds, it was a cardinal little known to the general public who was appointed: Robert Francis Prevost, a 69-year-old American, becomes the 267th pope in history. He has chosen the name Leo XIV, succeeding Pope Francis.
The election took place on the second day of the conclave, after four rounds of voting. While the process was, as always, marked by discretion and mystery, Prevost's choice came as a real surprise. His name was not on any list of favorites or outsiders.
Born in Chicago to a Franco-Italian father and a mother of Spanish origin, Robert Francis Prevost is a discreet figure among the clergy. He spent most of his life as a missionary in Peru, a country to which he offered a greeting in Spanish from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica during his first blessing. In Italian, he said to the assembled faithful: "Peace be with you all".
Ordained a cardinal in 2023, he had hitherto shied away from the limelight. Yet his humble, mission-oriented profile seems to have won over the 133 cardinal electors. The legacy of Pope Francis, who has profoundly transformed the Curia, seems to have paved the way for such a surprise election.
In the United States, the announcement quickly drew a reaction. Former president Donald Trump welcomed the election, calling it "a great honor for our country".
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