Good Question: Why Did the New Pope Change His Name?
- Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago native, was announced as Pope Leo XIV on May 8, surprising many given his decades away from the U.S.
- Prevost's appointment followed his return to Rome in 2023 to lead the Vatican's Dicastery for Bishops after a decade in Peru's Chicalayo diocese.
- Pope Leo XIV has emphasized his inspiration from Leo XIII, who famously condemned the so-called 'Americanism' heresy in documents from 1895 to 1899.
- In 1899, Leo XIII expressed his refusal to endorse certain ideas collectively known as "Americanism," a position that was also supported by Cardinal James Gibbons.
- Leo XIV’s choice suggests a renewed dialogue on American Catholicism and signals closer ties with the U.S., as shown by meetings with officials after his inauguration.
26 Articles
26 Articles
U.S.-born pope picked the name of the pontiff who condemned ‘Americanism’
A pope from the United States. That was the biggest surprise on May 8 when the new pontiff, Chicago native Robert Francis Prevost, was announced as Pope Leo XIV. It was quite the surprise, but it is important not to make too much of Leo’s nationality. For one thing, Prevost hadn’t lived in the United States for decades. He was the head of his Augustinian order in Rome from 2001 until 2013, when Pope Francis sent him to lead a diocese in Peru. Pr…

Will Pope Leon Be Able to Retain His American Citizenship as Long as He Is a Pontiff?
The election of Pope Leo XIV as the first leader of the Catholic Church born in the United States elevated him to the extremely rare and legally complicated position of being an American citizen who is now also a foreign head of state. Born in Chicago as Robert Prevost in 1955, the new pope has had during the last decade dual citizenship in the United States and Peru, where he spent time as a missionary and bishop. As pope, Leon serves as leader…
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