The new pope’s election stirred memories for Carlo Olayta, a Filipino who met Cardinal Robert Prevost–the man who would become Pope Leo XIV–in 2010 during a solemn religious ceremony in Bulacan.
“He was low-key and kind,” said Olayta, who shared a photo taken with the then–prior general of the Augustinian order.
The Cardinal Who Became Pope
Cardinal Robert Prevost, a 69-year-old Augustinian priest born in Chicago, has been elected as the new head of the Roman Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. He is the 267th pope, the first from the United States, and only the second from the Americas, following his predecessor Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21.
Prevost was chosen after four rounds of voting during the two-day conclave that began on May 7. The election was confirmed Thursday morning by the appearance of white smoke from the Sistine Chapel. Cardinal Dominique Mamberti stepped out onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to announce, “Habemus Papam.”
Pope Leo XIV then emerged, wearing the traditional red mozzetta, and gave his first blessing to thousands gathered in the square below.
A Pope Formed by Missionary Work
Though born in the U.S., Leo XIV also holds Peruvian citizenship and spent years in Peru as a missionary. He served as Archbishop-Bishop of Chiclayo, and later as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, overseeing the appointment of bishops around the world. He was made a cardinal in 2023.
With a background rooted in both pastoral work and church governance, Pope Leo XIV is seen as a steady leader to guide the Church through a time of transition.
A Memory from Bulacan Goes Viral
Now 33, Olayta’s unexpected connection to the new pontiff has gained attention online as Pope Leo XIV begins his leadership of the global Church.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think of having the chance to meet the man who will one day sit on the Chair of Saint Peter,” said Olayta in his Facebook page.
