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Newly elected Pope Leo XIV and leader of the Catholic Church has family links back to the US military and World War II, it has been revealed.
The 69-year-old pontiff, Robert Prevost, was announced as the 267th occupant of the throne of St Peter and is the first American to fill the role of Pope.
The new Pope was born in Chicago in 1955, initially serving as an altar boy and later being ordained in 1982. Crucially, he served as a missionary working with marginalised communities and as a local parish pastor in Peru, and retains Peruvian nationality.
He was made Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru in 2014 and later became archbishop and cardinal in 2023.
The US Department of Defense has revealed that the pontiff’s late father, Louis Marius Prevost, served in the Navy during World War II.
Louis, born in 1920 and died 1997, was commissioned as the executive officer of a tank landing ship in 1943 and took part in the D-Day landings in Normandy, France, during June 1944 under Operation Overlord.
He was also sent to southern France as part of Operation Dragoon in August 1944 and spent more than 15 months overseas attaining the rank of lieutenant junior grade before the end of the war in 1945.
“Today is a momentous day for Catholics around the world and faithful in Australia, and I join them in congratulating their Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, Bishop of Rome, on his election overnight,” said a public statement issued by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week on 9 May.
“As the first North American Pope, Pope Leo XIV’s leadership comes at an important time for the Catholic Church and the world.
“Australia will invite His Holiness Pope Leo to Australia for the International Eucharistic Congress being proudly hosted in 2028.
“My government looks forward to continuing Australia’s strong relationship with the Holy See under Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate.
“This is a moment which will bring joy and hope to Catholics everywhere. May the papacy of Pope Leo advance the cause of peace and social justice for all humanity.”
