A two-day conclave has come to an end with the election of Pope Leo XIV, successor to Pope Francis and the first American Pope. On May 8, white smoke rose from the Vatican’s makeshift chimney as millions of Catholics and non-Catholics alike watched and waited. While two days is short for a papal election, Chicago native Pope Leo XIV is officially Supreme Pontiff.
Formally, Robert Prevost, Leo XIV, was head of the Catholic Church’s Dicastery for Bishops. Leo served as a bishop in Peru from 2015 to 2023, where he had served as a missionary for over a decade prior.
Leo’s stances in the church have already been compared to his predecessors support for marginalized groups, such as migrants and the poor. Leo has previously called for action regarding climate change issues saying it is time to move “from words to action.” Leo also shares similar beliefs with Francis regarding women’s roles in the church regarding not ordaining women. In 2023 Leo said “Something that needs to be said also is that ordaining women—and there’s been some women that have said this interestingly enough—‘clericalizing women’ doesn’t necessarily solve a problem, it might make a new problem.” While Leo has been called “progressive by the church standards” by some, many others view him as a centrist because of his previous views on LGBTQ+ groups. In 2012 he stated that “Western mass media is extraordinarily effective in fostering within the general public enormous sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the Gospel – for example abortion, homosexual lifestyle, euthanasia.”
The first American pope has certainly made headlines, many did not think it possible. In traditional American fashion, the New York Times was able to get an interview with Leo’s brother. Leave it to Americans to get the family exclusive. Leo’s brother, John Prevost, told reporters, “Last Saturday when I was at church, one of the priests came over and told me the odds in Las Vegas were 18 to 1.” Prevost confirmed that his brother was close with the former pope and that Leo would be following in Francis’ footsteps, “They were very good friends. They knew each other before he was pope, before my brother even was bishop.”
Prevost also shared a story of the boy’s neighbor telling young Leo that one day he would be pope. Prevost indicated that he believed the Holy Spirit was moving that day and remembers the story vividly all these years later. Prevost also joked with reporters about making sure Leo knew how to behave in the Conclave, saying that Leo had just finished the movie “Conclave,” before entering the Vatican to participate in his own conclave.
When a new pope is elected, they first visit “the room of tears” before being introduced to the world. The room of tears is where the popes change from the cardinal robes into their papal attire. It is named after the fact that this is where popes often break down in tears, realizing the weight of their new positions. When Leo walked out onto the balcony he waved to the cheering crowds in Rome below and his first words were, “Peace be with you.” The new pope did not speak these words in English.
The day after his election, Leo led his first mass as Pope where he called his election a cross to bear and a blessing, “You have called me to carry that cross and to be blessed with that mission, and I know I can rely on each and every one of you to walk with me as we continue as a church, as a community, as friends of Jesus, as believers, to announce the good news, to announce the Gospel.” Additionally, Leo had two women read scripture at the beginning of the service, and notably did not wear the traditional red loafers.
During mass, Leo stated “A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society.” Coverage of the first mass was provided by AP News.
The first pope named Leo was Leo the Great who was pope from 440-461. Having been 14 pope Leo’s now, the name Leo often may refer to a pope committed to social issues and modernity.
For the 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, a new pope means a possible shift in church doctrine. For TikTok and X users a new pope means new memes. “I wonder if the new pope has been to cheesecake factory,” or videos from students from Leo’s alumna Villanova University. For queer activists a hope that Leo’s beliefs have changed since 2012 remains. To the Trump and Vance Administration, the first American pope is anything but a supporter. Leo has reposted multiple articles criticizing Trump’s policies. While Catholics cannot expect much of a change in the Vatican’s policies, the excitement of the conclave is over and it is time to wait and watch the new papacy.
To read the full interview with John Prevost click here
