Robert Francis Prevost or Pope Leo XIV becomes first US-born Pope; as a cardinal he earned nearly 5000 euros a month

Robert Francis Prevost was on Thursday (May 8) elected as the new pope of the Catholic Church. The 69-year-old is the first US-born person to hold the post and will be known as Pope Leo XIV. He will step into the shoes of Pope Francis, who died last month. With that, here is everything you need to know about the 267th occupant of the throne of St Peter.

Meet Robert Francis Prevost AKA Pope Leo XIV

Robert Francis Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, was born in Chicago to parents of French-Italian and Spanish descent. He served as an altar boy during his formative years and was officially ordained in 1982.

Prevost moved to Peru in 1985 but returned to the US on several occasions to serve as a pastor and a prior. He is a citizen of Peru, where he is held in high regard because of his work for the marginalised community.

Habemus Papam: Pope Leo XIV.
The new pope, US cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, will be known as Pope Leo XIV.
It¡¯s been a long while since we had a pope with this name: last Leo, Leo XIII, was elected in 1878 and served until his death in 1903. pic.twitter.com/o56EgpnUtD

¡ª Juan Antonio Cuecos Moll¨¢-Lacoste???????? (@Cuecos) May 8, 2025

Additionally, Prevost spent nearly a decade as a local parish pastor and a teacher at a seminary in Trujillo, a city in Peru. He also served as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in Latin America, which is entrusted with the responsibility of selecting and monitoring bishops. Prevost became an archbishop in January 2023. Pope Francis made him a cardinal shortly thereafter.

Pope Leo XIV's net worth is not known

Pope Leo XIV¡¯s net worth has not been disclosed publicly. Moreover, he won¡¯t receive a salary as the head of the Catholic Church. However, the Vatican Church will cover all his expenses through stipends and allowances. Interestingly, Pope Leo XIV reportedly used to make between 4000-5000 euros a month during his time as a cardinal.

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