Pope Leo XIV (Robert Cardinal Prevost) Image © Reuters
‘Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam.’
‘I announce to you great joy; we have a pope.’ This is the start of the announcement made Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti, the senior cardinal in the Order of Deacons. (Despite the title, Cardinal Mamberti is, as are most cardinals, a priest and a bishop.)
At 8 minutes past 5 in the afternoon, UK time, white smoke came from the chimney erected on the Sistine Chapel. This was the signal we had been waiting and praying for, telling us that a new Pope has been elected. He was elected on the fourth ballot of the cardinals in the conclave.
Image © Vatican News
Cardinal Prevost has been elected as Pope. Robert Cardinal Prevost has taken the name Leo. He is the 14th Pope to be named Leo, so will be known as Pope Leo XIV. Pope Leo is the 267th in a line going back nearly 2000 years, when the risen Jesus commanded Peter, ‘Feed my lambs,’ ‘Tend my sheep,’ ‘Feed my sheep’ (John 21:15, 16, 17). All popes are the successor to St Peter.
Pope Leo Addresses the Crowd in St Peter’s Square
The new Pope started his speech from the Vatican balcony with the words ‘Peace be with you,’ something urgently needed in these troubled times. These words were the first words of Jesus to the apostles after His Resurrection (John 20:19).
In his speech, the Pope thanked Pope Francis, as well as the cardinals who elected him. He said we all need the light of Christ. Pope Leo called for a missionary Church that will build bridges between people.
Read the full text of the speech.
Who is the New Pope?
Although he was born in Chicago, Pope Leo has spent over half of his life based outside the USA. He was born in September 1955 and joined the Augustinians at the age of 22. Pope Leo is the first Pope from the Order of St Augustine. In June 1982 he was ordained as a priest. Three years later he moved to Peru as part of the Augustinian mission there.
The white smoke starts to appear from the Sistine Chapel. Image © Reuters
While in Peru he was head of the Augustinian seminary and taught canon law at the diocesan seminary. In 1998 he was elected as Provincial of the Chicago Province of the Order of St Augustine. Three years later, he was elected as Prior General of the Order, and moved to Rome. He served two six-year terms as Prior General.
In December 2014 he was consecrated as a bishop and in September 2015 he became bishop of Chiclayo in Peru. He had already been the Apostolic Admninistrator of the diocese. Pope Francis made him Prefect (head) of the Dicastery for Bishops in January 2023 and he became a cardinal in the following September.
We pray for our new Pope as he takes over the leadership of the Church.
Full Text of the Speech
“Peace be with all of you!
Dearest brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for God’s flock. I too would like this greeting of peace to enter your heart, to reach your families, to all people, wherever they are, to all peoples, to the whole earth. Peace be with you!
This is the peace of the Risen Christ, an unarmed and disarming peace, humble and persevering. It comes from God, God who loves us all unconditionally. We still have in our ears that weak but always courageous voice of Pope Francis who blessed Rome!
The pope who blessed Rome gave his blessing to the world, to the entire world, that Easter morning.
Allow me to follow up on that same blessing: God cares for us, God loves all of us, and evil will not prevail! We are all in God’s hands. Therefore, without fear, united hand in hand with God and among ourselves, let us move forward.
We are disciples of Christ. Christ goes before us. The world needs His light. Humanity needs Him as the bridge to reach God and His love.
Help us too, then help each other to build bridges – with dialogue, with encounter, uniting all of us to be one people always in peace. Thank you, Pope Francis!
I also want to thank all the fellow cardinals who chose me to be the Successor of Peter and to walk with you, as a united Church always seeking peace, justice – always trying to work as men and women faithful to Jesus Christ, without fear, to proclaim the Gospel, to be missionaries.
I am a son of Saint Augustine, (an) Augustinian, who said: “With you I am a Christian and for you a bishop.” In this sense, we can all walk together towards that homeland that God has prepared for us.
To the Church of Rome, a special greeting! We must seek together how to be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges (and) dialogue, always open to receive (people), like this square, with open arms – everyone, all those who need our charity, our presence, dialogue and love.
(Switching into Spanish) And if you allow me also, a word, a greeting to all those, and particularly to my beloved diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru, where a faithful people have accompanied their bishop, have shared their faith, and have given so much, so much to continue being a faithful Church of Jesus Christ.
(Switching back to Italian) To all of you, brothers and sisters of Rome, of Italy, of the whole world, we want to be a synodal Church, a Church that walks, a Church that always seeks peace, that always seeks charity, that always seeks to be close especially to those who suffer.
Today is the day of the Supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii. Our Mother Mary always wants to walk with us, to stay close, to help us with her intercession and her love.
So I would like to pray together with you. Let us pray together for this new mission, for the whole Church, for peace in the world, and let us ask for this special grace from Mary, our Mother.”