Pope Leo XIV greets the general public for the primary time from the primary balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Alberto Pizzoli/AFP through Getty Pictures
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Alberto Pizzoli/AFP through Getty Pictures
About 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide have a brand new non secular chief: Pope Leo XIV.
The election of Robert Francis Prevost, who selected the title Leo XIV, because the 267th chief of the Roman Catholic Church marks two historic firsts. Leo is the first-ever U.S.-born pope to steer the church and the primary pope from the Augustinian order.
On Thursday, the brand new pope appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and delivered a brief speech. His opening phrases have been “Peace be with all of you!”
The 69-year-old pontiff added that he needed his message of peace to “enter your hearts, attain your households and all folks, wherever they’re.” Throughout his deal with, he spoke in Italian, Spanish and Latin.
The brand new pope thanked his fellow cardinals for choosing him. He additionally expressed gratitude to his former diocese in Peru and spoke warmly of Pope Francis, his late predecessor, earlier than ending his remarks with a prayer.
Social media sheds gentle on the brand new pope’s perception system
Leo is thought to share among the similar priorities as Francis, notably on the subject of the setting and outreach to migrants and the poor, in accordance with The Faculty of Cardinals Report, a useful resource created by a crew of Vatican journalists.
On his X account, Leo has just lately posted and reposted content material vital of President Trump’s immigration method and of Vice President JD Vance’s views on faith.
He additionally shared messages in assist of vaccination throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests within the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd.
“We have to hear extra from leaders within the Church, to reject racism and search justice,” he mentioned in a 2020 tweet.
Pope Leo’s background
The brand new pope was born in Chicago in 1955, in accordance with Vatican Information. His father is of French and Italian descent, whereas his mom is of Spanish descent.
Leo studied on the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers. He went on to attend Villanova College in Pennsylvania, the place he acquired a level in arithmetic. He later pursued his theological schooling on the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.
Though the brand new pontiff is American, one of the crucial vital chapters of his ministry happened in Peru. Prevost served there for roughly 20 years. He was appointed as Bishop of Chiclayo in 2014, promoted to archbishop in 2023, after which cardinal within the following 12 months. Over the course of his profession, he has additionally taught canon regulation, patristics and ethical regulation.
Rev. Robert Hagan, Prior Provincial of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, instructed NPR’s All Issues Thought of that he was a scholar when he met Pope Leo over dinner. Hagan mentioned that again then he may inform that Leo embodied the core worth of Augustinian Fathers — friendship.
“We’re speechless,” Hagan mentioned. “We actually are, we’re overjoyed. When he appeared on that balcony it was like seeing a member of the family step up and we’re simply so glad. Not only for him however for the world.”
