Historic Election Win Leads to Leo XIV's First Mass Celebration as American Pope
A 69-year-old chap, Robert Francis Prevost, who used to be a cardinal, is set to gather with the 132 cardinals who elected him in the Sistine Chapel this Thursday night. The world is buzzing with congratulations, and US President Donald Trump shared heartfelt wishes on Truth Social:
Celebrating Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost! It's bloody fantastic to see him as the first American Pope—what a massive bloody thrill for our country! I'm pumped to meet Pope Leo XIV. I reckon it'll be a bloomin' meaningful moment.
Not to be outdone, Aussie Prime Minister Anthony Albanese marked the day as an essential one for Catholics around the globe, looking forward to building on Australia's long-standing relationship with the Holy See under Pope Leo XIV's papacy. He even extended an invitation for the pope to visit Australia for the 2028 International Eucharist Congress, where approximately six million Catholics dwell.
Prevost snatched the attention of the papacy spotlight after Pope Francis assigned him to manage the Vatican's Dicastery for Bishops, a department that oversees global bishop selections. In his inaugural speech, delievered in near-perfect Italian, Pope Leo emphasized the need to be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges, communicates, and extends a friendly hand to everyone:
Together, we must figure out how to be a missionary church. A church that constructs bridges, fosters dialogue, and maintains an open heart, arms outstretched, ready to receive anyone in need—charity, company, dialogue, and love.
Unspoken taboo
A whispered rule has long prevailed against choosing an American pope, given the United States' potent global impact as a superpower. But Prevost's strong connection to Peru—a place where he once served as a missionary and later as a bishop—seems to have eased concerns within the church.
The chosen one's Peruvian presidency, Dina Boluarte, applauded the decision, referring to Prevost as a Peruvian by conviction and choice:
He decided to be one of ours, to live with us, to carry in his heart the faith, culture, and dreams of this astounding country.
The last pope to bear the name Leo was Leo XIII, an Italian who led the church from 1878 to 1903. He is remembered for toning down the church's stance on science and politics and establishing the roots of Catholic social teaching.
In 1891, he issued an encyclical titled Rerum Novarum, which dealt with workers' rights and capitalism during the surge of industrialization. As it turns out, the Vatican has made references to this document when explaining Pope Leo XIV's choice of name.
Vatican watchers suggest that Pope Leo XIV's decision to name himself Leo is significant due to the previous Leo's legacy of social justice and reform, maintaining continuity with some of Pope Francis's key concerns, such as creating a more attentive Church that welcomes laity and ensures inclusivity.
Natalia Imperatori-Lee, the chair of religious studies at Manhattan University in the Bronx, expressed excitement about witnessing a new type of American Catholicism in Rome:
I reckon it's going to be a riot watching a completely different kind of American Catholicism manifest in Rome.
- The United States, led by President Donald Trump, saluted Pope Leo XIV, expressing excitement about the first American Pope.
- Australia, under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, sees the papacy as a significant opportunity to strengthen their relationship with the Holy See and invited the pope to visit for the 2028 International Eucharist Congress.
- in Africa, President Dina Boluarte of Peru applauded Pope Leo's election, referring to him as a Peruvian by choice.
- Culture and justice were highlighted in Pope Leo's inaugural speech, emphasizing the need for a church that builds bridges, communicates, and reaches out to everyone.
- draws parallels with Pope Francis in its commitment to social justice, as Pope Leo XIV chose the name Leo, reminiscent of Leo XIII, who established the roots of Catholic social teaching.
