FROM a budding maths genius in the US to an adventurous missionary in Peru – horseriding Pope Leo XIV has now reached the highest summit in the Catholic Church.
History-maker is the first , and his incredible life has seen him climb from an altar boy to head of the Vatican.
Known as Father Bob, was announced as on Thursday after less than 24 hours of voting in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.
The dark horse beat steep odds of 66/1 to become God’s messenger on before being unveiled to crowds of the faithful in .
But his humble beginnings started all the way over in , , where he was born on September 14, 1955.
He was born to immigrant parents of French, Italian and Spanish descent.
Prevost’s first religious gig saw him work as an altar boy at St. Mary of the Assumption Church, just outside the far South Side of Chicago.
He completed his secondary studies at St. Augustine Seminary High School in 1973 – where he was consistently on the honor roll and was even given a Letter of Commendation for impressive academic results.
The whizz-kid then earned a degree in mathematics at Villanova University in 1977.
The Pope-to-be then joined the Order of St. Augustine, taking his vows in 1978.
He became a priest in 1982, with pictures showing the newly-ordained Rev. Robert Prevost greeting Pope John Paul II shortly after.
The multi-talented Catholic Church head can speak English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese – and can even read Latin and German.
After being ordained a priest, he joined a mission in in 1985 where he spent many years heading up a seminary.
He returned to the US in 1999, but before that had returned regularly to serve as a pastor and a prior in his home city.
Despite being an American the new pontiff holds Peruvian nationality, and is a beloved figure in the country due to his work with marginalised communities.
Prevost spent 10 years as a local parish pastor and as a teacher at a seminary in Trujillo in northwestern Peru.
During his momentous first speech, Leo spoke fondly of his predecessor Francis.
He said: “We still hear in our ears the weak but always courageous voice of who blessed us.”;
Pope Francis made Prevost the Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru one year after he became Pope.
Prevost was known for his high-profile role as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in Latin America – tasked with selecting and supervising bishops.
He was made archbishop in 2023 and within a few months he was promoted to the cardinal by Francis.
The horseriding Pope is seen as more traditional than Francis – but not the conservative hardliner some in the church were hoping for after his predecessor’s efforts to make the faith more progressive.
The new pontiff urged people to “build bridges through dialogue, through encounter, to come together as one people, always in peace”;.
He also spoke in Spanish, saying to his South American friends: “I would particularly like to say hello to my compatriots from Peru.
“It was a great pleasure for me to work inPeru.”;
US President Trump was quick to congratulate the Pope Leo XIV and said it’s “a great honour”; for the US.
Sirbranded the election of the first American Pope as a “momentous moment”; and said that he looks “forward to meeting the Holy Father and continuing to work closely with the Catholic Church”;.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated the new Pope.
He said: “ deeply values the Holy See’s consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federation’s military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians.
Russian Presidentsaid he hoped the American pontiff would engage in “constructive dialogue”; with the.
The new Pope, who is active on social media, has repeatedly voiced his concerns over‘spolicies and shared his progressive views.
Both Leo and Francis were said to be close and Prevost was considered by Vatican insiders to be a potential kingmaker for the current election.
But few considered the newLeoXIV the likely winner of the secret vote.
The last pope to take the nameLeowas Leo XIII, an Italian who led the church from 1878 to 1903.
Whiteat around 5pm on May 8 as a signal that the new pontiff had been chosen.
The Pope greeted the world for the first time on the balcony in the iconic St Peter’s Basilica overlooking St Peter’s Square.
The newly elected pontiff appeared in papal robes – complete with a white silk sash and skullcap and red leather shoes.
The announcement of the new pope was made after clouds of white smoke or fumata bianca emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel as a bell rang.
Crowds of faithful Catholics erupted with joy and were seen cheering in the iconic St. Peter’s Square.
