The American Robert Cardinal Prevost assumed leadership of the Roman Catholic Church Thursday as Pope Leo XIV, following two days of voting by the cardinals.

In his speech to St. Peter’s Square, Leo emphasized continuity with the reign of the late Pope Francis, citing the need to “build bridges” and for “synodality.” The last pope of his regnal name, Leo XIII, issued a variety of influential encyclicals on economics and social justice.

Leo, an Augustinian friar, was born in Chicago, but has served in a variety of places, particularly Latin America. He was lately the head of the Dicastery for Bishops at the Vatican. He is considered broadly to be a liberal.