Léon XIV: The American Robert Francis Prevost is the new pope. Aged 69, a native of Chicago, Mgr Prevost had since 2023 the prefect of the powerful Dicaster of the Bishops, responsible for appointing the bishops of the whole world. He spent years as a missionary in Peru and is the Archbishop-Bishop Emeritus of Chiclayo in this country in South America. He is also president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.
The election was done in four ballot laps. The cardinals took barely 24 hours to elect the first North American pope in history, a sign of his ability to bring together.
“May peace be with you”: Under the cheers of the crowd on Saint-Pierre square, Pope Léon XIV sends a “salvation of peace” to the faithful massaged on Saint-Pierre square: “I address all peoples: may peace be with you”, “Evil will not win”. “We must be a church that builds bridges,” he continues.
First mass at the Sistine Chapel on Friday. The new Pope Léon XIV will celebrate a mass at 11 am with the cardinals in the Sistine Chapel on Friday. He will also chair the prayer of Regina Coeili on Sunday at noon from the Balcony of the Saint-Pierre Basilica and will meet journalists on Monday morning.
Trump “impatient” to meet the new pope. The American president addressed his “congratulations” to Léon XIV, the first pope from the United States, in a message on his Truth Social network. “What an excitement and what great honor for our country,” he added, saying to himself “impatient” to meet the new head of the Catholic Church.
