Pope Leo XIV’s first words when he stepped out onto the loggia were ‘peace be with you all’ after he was elected on Thursday evening in Rome.
Robert Prevost, a 69-year-old longtime Cardinal, became the first American ever chosen to lead the Roman Catholic church.
The election of the new pope came on the second day of the Conclave in front of a jubilant St. Peter’s Square. Once he was selected, many in the crowd proudly held up American flags.
He is now the 267th Pope and during his speech, he spoke in Italian before switching to Spanish, recalling his many years spent as a missionary and then archbishop of Chiclayo, Peru.
Seen as a man who has similar attitudes on reform to the late Pope Francis, whom he thanked in his remarks, Pope Leo will be closely watched by the world to see what he does in the coming days and weeks.
World leaders have already offered their congratulations to the pontiff, including US President Donald Trump, who said he will ‘look forward to meeting’ Pope Leo in a post on his Truth Social platform.
Addressing the masses in St. Peter’s, the new Pope said: ‘We have to seek together to be a missionary church. A church that builds bridges and dialogue.
Pope Leo called on people to ‘show our charity’ to others ‘and be in dialog with love.’