Uwahoze ari Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, w’imyaka 69, yahawe izina rya Papa Leo wa XIV, asimbuye Papa Francis wapfuye ku wa 21 Mata 2025. Ni intambwe ikomeye mu mateka ya Kiliziya, aho icyerekezo cyayo cyerekejwe mu Majyaruguru y’Amerika ku nshuro ya mbere.

Inkomoko n’Ubuzima bwo Hambere
Papa Leo wa XIV yavutse ku wa 14 Nzeri 1955 i Chicago, muri Leta ya Illinois, mu muryango w’Abanyamerika b’Abagatolika bafite imizi y’Abanyespanye. Yahawe izina rya Robert Francis Prevost. Yakuriye mu muryango wicisha bugufi kandi wubaha cyane imyemerere ya gikirisitu, aho uburere bwe bwubakiye ku ndangagaciro z’urukundo, ubupfura, n’ukwitangira abandi.

Yinjiye mu muryango w’Abagustini (Order of St. Augustine) mu myaka ya 1970, aba umuhanga mu masomo ya Tewolojiya n’amategeko ya Kiliziya. Yaje guhabwa ubusaseridoti mu 1982. Nyuma yaho, yagizwe umuyobozi w’amaseminari atandukanye ndetse n’umwarimu wa tewolojiya, ashimwa cyane kubera ubuhanga n’ubupfura bwe.

Ubuzima bwo kwiha Imana n’Ububasha muri Kiliziya
Mu myaka yakurikiyeho, Prevost yakoze ubutumwa bwa gishumba muri Amerika y’Epfo, cyane cyane muri Peru, aho yamaze imyaka irenga 15 ari umuyobozi wa misiyo z’Abagustini. Icyo gihe yagaragaje ubushobozi bwo kwigisha, kuyobora no guhuza abantu b’ingeri zinyuranye, byatumye azamurwa mu ntera.

Mu 2023, Papa Francis yamushyize ku mwanya ukomeye nk’umuyobozi wa Dicastery for Bishops—urwego rushinzwe gutoranya abepiskopi ku isi yose. Aho ni ho benshi baboneye ko ashobora kuzasimbura Papa Francis, kubera uburyo yitwaraga mu kuyobora no guharanira ko Kiliziya igira abepiskopi b’intangarugero.

Itorwa rye ryo kuba Umushumba Mukuru
Nyuma y’urupfu rwa Papa Francis, Inama y’Abakaridinali (Conclave) yateranye i Vatikani, aho kuri manda ya kane y’itora bemeje Cardinal Prevost nk’umusimbura w’umushumba mukuru. Yafashe izina rya Papa Leo wa XIV, aha icyubahiro abamubanjirije nka Papa Leo wa XIII, uzwiho kuba yaraharaniraga uburenganzira bw’abakozi.

Itorwa rye ryakiranywe yombi mu bice bitandukanye by’isi, cyane cyane muri Amerika, aho benshi babibonye nk’intsinzi y’ubumwe bwa Kiliziya Gatolika ku rwego mpuzamahanga.

Papa Leo wa XIV yinjiye mu butumwa bwe nk’umuyobozi wa miliyoni zirenga miliyari imwe z’Abagatolika ku isi yose afite intego y’ubwiyunge, ubufatanye, n’impinduka zishingiye ku rukundo n’ubutabera. Mu ijambo rye rya mbere, yavuze ko azaharanira ko habaho "Kiliziya yita ku bakene, ifunguriye bose, kandi yubakiye ku kuri kwa Kristu."

Uyu mushumba mushya afatwa nk’uwiteguye gukomeza umurage wa Papa Francis mu buryo bworoshye kandi bwimbitse, ariko anazana imbaraga nshya ziganisha Kiliziya mu cyerekezo cy’impinduka n’icyizere.