Born Robert Francis Prevost, Pope Leo XIV has been Pope of the Catholic Church since May 8, 2025, when he became the 267th pontiff. He is the first Pope to be born in the United States, and the first from the Order of Saint Augustine. He chose the name Leo in honor of Pope Leo XIII (who was pope from 1878-1903), who was a champion of labor rights. Leo joined the Order of Saint Augustine as a friar in 1977, and was ordained a priest in 1982. After extensive missionary work in Peru, he became a bishop and also a naturalized citizen of Peru. He was named a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023.