භාග්‍යවතී දෙවඟන වෙනුවෙන් ගැහැණුන් වන පිරිමි - Honoring the Divine: Men Transforming for Goddess Bhagyavati

බෝග වගාවට හානි කරන වන සතුන් ගැන වැරදි තීරණ ගෙන ජනතාවට විහිළු සපයනු එපා! - Don't Make the Wrong Decisions – And Don't Mock Those Affected by Crop Damage from Wild Animals

දකුණු ඉන්දියාවේ සදාහරිත සිහින පාරාදීසය - A lush, cultural, and spiritual escape nestled in the heart of the Indian peninsula

වේගයෙන් උණුසුම් වන ඇමරිකානු - චීන නොහොඳ නෝක්කඩු - US–China Tensions Escalate Amid Global Concerns

මේ දවස් වල භයානක කොවිඩ් වෛරසයක් පැතිර යනවා කියන්නේ ඇත්තද? - Concerns Rise Over Possible Resurgence of Dangerous COVID-19 Variant in Sri Lanka

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවටත් න්‍යෂ්ටික අවි ප්‍රහාර අවදානමක් තිබේද? - Is the Nuclear Shadow Falling on Sri Lanka Too?

ඉන්දු පාකිස්තාන් සතුරුකම් තාවකාලිකව නවතා දමා තිබියදීත් යුද ගිනි පුපුරු දැල්වෙයි - Despite a Temporary Ceasefire, Tensions Between India and Pakistan Persist

බිලියන 1.3 ක කතෝලිකයන්ගේ නවතම ප්‍රධාන එඬේරානෝ - A New Shepherd for 1.3 Billion Catholics Worldwide

Pope Leo XIV (Robert Francis Prevost): The First American Pope and a Global Shepherd

On May 8, 2025, history was made within the hallowed walls of the Vatican as white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel, signaling the election of a new pope. The conclave of cardinals had chosen Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a U.S.-born prelate with deep Latin American roots, to lead the Catholic Church. Taking the name Pope Leo XIV, he became the first American pope in the Church’s two-thousand-year history—a decision that both surprises and inspires Catholics around the world.

Born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois, Robert Prevost grew up in a devout Catholic family with strong spiritual and moral values. Drawn to religious life from a young age, he joined the Order of St. Augustine (OSA) and was ordained a priest in 1982. His early years of priesthood were not confined to the comforts of America. Instead, he immersed himself in missionary work, especially in Peru, where he would spend nearly two decades of his life.

In Peru, Prevost earned a reputation as a humble servant of the poor and a gifted leader, eventually serving as bishop of Chiclayo. His ability to bridge cultural divides, understand pastoral challenges on the ground, and nurture community life made him highly respected across Latin America. Despite his U.S. origins, his years in Peru gave him a truly global identity—something that would later play a crucial role in his papal election.

In 2014, Pope Francis brought Prevost to Rome, appointing him to key positions in the Vatican, including membership in the Congregation for Bishops. In 2023, he was named Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, putting him in charge of selecting bishops for dioceses around the world. This influential role allowed him to shape the global episcopate with a focus on pastoral care, humility, and inclusiveness—values that resonated deeply with the spirit of Pope Francis’ papacy.

Prevost's low-key demeanor, theological grounding, and international perspective made him a trusted figure in the Roman Curia, even as tensions swirled around the Church’s future direction.

Traditionally, the Vatican has been hesitant to elect a pope from the United States. This reluctance stems from concerns that an American pope might be perceived as too closely aligned with a global superpower, potentially complicating the Church's diplomatic neutrality and moral authority. For decades, there was a quiet understanding that the papacy should avoid direct association with the world's most dominant political and economic force.

However, Prevost’s background helped overcome these longstanding reservations. His Peruvian residency, fluent Spanish, missionary work, and long Vatican service all positioned him as a true man of the Church, not of a nation.

Upon his election as pope, he chose the name Leo XIV, invoking the legacy of previous Popes Leo—especially Leo XIII, known for his encyclicals on social justice and workers' rights. The name signals a possible commitment to renewing Catholic social teaching in a divided world and addressing the pressing issues of our time, including migration, climate change, poverty, and secularism.

Pope Leo XIV enters the papacy at a time of significant challenges: declining church attendance in the West, clergy abuse scandals, political polarization, and tensions between conservative and progressive factions within the Church. Yet, his life’s journey—from the streets of Chicago to the barrios of Peru, and finally to the highest seat of Catholic leadership—embodies the kind of inclusive, global vision the Church increasingly needs.

As the first American-born pope, he brings not a symbol of power, but a symbol of connection between continents, cultures, and communities of faith. Pope Leo XIV now faces the monumental task of shepherding over 1.3 billion Catholics through a complex, fast-changing world—armed with humility, deep faith, and a lifetime of service beyond borders.

අභිනව පාප් වහන්සේ තේරී පත් වන්නේ මෙහෙමයි - How a New Pope Is Elected: A Step-by-Step Look Inside the Papal Conclave

මහනුවර රිලා දූපත් ආණ්ඩුවේ රිලා විහිලු අංක 2 වේද?

වැලි පැන්නෙන් එළි පැන්න දේශපාලන දිශානතිය - The political orientation displayed at the Welipenna Service Area on the Southern Expressway has drawn attention

ඉන්දු - පකිස්තානු යුද්ධය කට මුලටම? අපට කුමකින් කුමක් සිදු වේද? - India - Pakistan Conflict