Robert Francis Prevost, 69, is the first North American cardinal to take the helm of the Barque of Peter in the history of the Church, taking the name Leo XIV. He was elected in the 76th Conclave by 133 cardinal electors, on the fourth ballot, and at 7:23 p.m. he appeared for the first time from the Loggia of Benedictions to be greeted by the crowd. With a countenance that was both serene and smiling, the red drape embracing the Loggia, he stood listenening to the national anthem being played by the Vatican band, visibly moved. Twelve years after his predecessor, the 267th Roman Pontiff was greeted by a jubilant crowd in St Peter’s Square, stretching as far as the eye could see to Piazza Pia and along Via della Conciliazione. The long-awaited white smoke appeared at 6:07 p.m. from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. At 7.13 p.m., the cardinal protodeacon, Dominique Mamberti, made the solemn announcement to the faithful in Latin: “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus Papam: Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Robertum Franciscum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Prevost qui sibi nomen imposuit Leonem Decimum Quartum”.
“Peace be with you all!”,
the first words delivered by the new Pontiff. “Dearest brothers and sisters, this was the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave His life for the flock of God”, said Leo XIV, the name chosen by the Augustinian Pope for his pontificate.
“I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are; and all the peoples, and all the earth”,
continued the Holy Father: “Peace be with you! This is the peace of the Risen Christ, a disarming and humble and preserving peace. t comes from God. God, who loves all of us, without any limits or conditions.”
“Let us keep in our ears the weak but always brave voice of Pope Francis, who blessed Rome.”
He remembered his predecessor with the following words: “The Pope who blessed Rome and the world that day on the morning of Easter. Allow me to continue that same blessing:
God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail!
We are all in the hands of God. Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward. We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us, and the world needs His light. Humanity needs Him like a bridge to reach God and His love.! You help us to build bridges with dialogue and encounter so we can all be one people always in peace.”
“Thank you, Pope Francis”,
the tribute to the pontificate of Jorge Mario Bergoglio: “Thank you to my Cardinal brothers who chose me to be the Successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a united Church searching all together for peace and justice, working together as women and men, faithful to Jesus Christ without fear, proclaiming Christ, to be missionaries, faithful to the gospel.” “I am a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian. He said, ‘With you I am a Christian, for you a bishop.’ So may we all walk together towards that homeland that God has prepared for us.”
“To the Church of Rome a special greeting”,
said the new Pope, to whom the crowd responded with a resounding applause.
“We have to look together how to be a missionary Church, building bridges, dialogue, always open to receiving with open arms for everyone, like this square, open to all, to all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.”
In his first greeting, addressed to the faithful worldwide, the first North American Pope has, in a sense, outlined the programme of his pontificate. Speaking in Spanish, he offered special greetings to his ‘beloved diocese of Chiclayo in Peru’ and to the ‘faithful people’ who accompanied him on his recent pastoral visits to that region of South America. The new Pontiff then extended his greeting ‘to all of you, brothers and sisters, in Rome, Italy, and the whole world.”
“We want to be a synodal church, walking and always seeking peace, charity, closeness, especially to those who are suffering”,
he added, revealing further distinctive features of his pastoral style. “Today is the day of the Supplicatio to Our Lady of Pompei”, he said, referring to today’s liturgical celebration: “Our blessed mother Mary always wants to walk with us, be close to us, she always wants to help us with her intercession and her love.” “So let us pray together for this mission, and for all of the Church, and for peace in the world”, the Pope’s closing invocation, before reciting the Hail Mary together with all those gathered in St. Peter’s Square, followed by his first blessing ‘Urbi et Orbi’ and the granting of plenary indulgence.
