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Opening abstract
Whats up and welcome to the Guardian’s reside protection of Pope Leo XIV’s first full day in workplace, throughout which he’s anticipated to carry his first mass as chief of the Catholic church.
Robert Francis Prevost, the primary US-born pope, will have fun a personal mass with cardinals on the Sistine Chapel on Friday at 11am (0900 GMT), throughout which he’ll ship his a lot anticipated first homily as pope. It will likely be broadcast reside.
The 69-year-old, who has spent a lot of his life in Peru, was elected by his fellow cardinals on Thursday throughout a secret conclave after the demise of his predecessor, Pope Francis.
With the selection of Prevost, consultants say, the cardinals opted for continuity with the late Francis, a progressive from Argentina who shook up the Church in his 12-year papacy.
“He’s a reasonable consensus candidate who matches right into a mushy continuity, a mild continuity with Pope Francis, who is not going to alienate conservatives,” mentioned Francois Mabille, a researcher on the Paris-based assume tank IRIS and creator of a ebook on Vatican technique.
Right here’s what it is best to know concerning the new pope:
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Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni mentioned the selection of the identify Leo was a “clear and deliberate” reference to the final pope named Leo. Leo XIII was elected in 1878 and was finest recognized for his 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum, which outlined employees’ rights.
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In his first feedback after his election, Pope Leo XIV preached a message of “unity” and of “transferring ahead”. He mentioned he desires this message of peace to “enter your hearts, to achieve your households and all folks, wherever they’re.”
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Many shared their pleasure at having an American pope, and particularly a pope born in Chicago. Metropolis mayor Brandon Johnson tweeted “Every thing dope, together with the Pope, comes from Chicago” and former US president Barack Obama congratulated the “fellow Chicagoan” on social media.
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The election of Prevost was additionally celebrated in Peru, the place he has spent a lot of his life. Peru’s president, Dina Boluarte described him as a Peruvian “by selection and conviction”.
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US president Donald Trump mentioned he was “shocked” however that it’s a “nice honour” to have an American pope. Leaders from nations all over the world additionally supplied their congratulations.
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An account on X extensively believed to belong to the brand new pope reveals him to be considerably vital of the Trump administration. The account posted two articles that took challenge with the stance by JD Vance, additionally a Catholic, on immigration. One article was headlined “JD Vance is unsuitable: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”
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Leo’s brother, John Prevost, instructed US media that Leo, was not afraid to talk his thoughts and that he was at the moment very sad with “what’s happening with immigration”. He instructed the New York Occasions: “I don’t assume he’ll keep quiet for too lengthy if he has one thing to say … I do know he’s not pleased with what’s happening with immigration. I do know that for a truth.”
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In a 2012 handle to the world Synod of Bishops, the then Father Robert Francis Prevost appeared to criticise homosexuality. He mentioned “Western mass media is awfully efficient in fostering inside most people monumental sympathy for beliefs and practices which might be at odds with the Gospel – for instance abortion, gay life-style, euthanasia”.
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Like his predecessor, Pope Francis, Leo can also be on the report as opposing the ordination of girls. He instructed a 2023 synod that “clericalizing girls” wouldn’t clear up issues within the Catholic Church and would possibly create new ones, based on the Catholic information company.
Key occasions
Listed below are a few of the scenes across the Vatican and Rome this morning.
China has despatched congratulations to newly elected Pope Leo XIV and hopes the Vatican below the brand new pontiff will proceed dialogue with China “in a constructive spirit”, Reuters studies a Chinese language international ministry spokesperson mentioned on Friday at an everyday press convention.
Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, strained relations between the Vatican and China in 2020 when he described China’s Muslim Uyghurs as a “persecuted” folks, itemizing them alongside the Rohingya, the Yazidi, and persecuted Christians in Islamic nations.
Right here is the video from yesterday, when Pope Leo XIV was applauded by cardinals within the Sistine Chapel and prayed alone after being elected as the brand new chief of the Catholic church. He’ll maintain a mass there later this morning.
US media has reacted to the information that there’s to be an American pope for the primary time. The New York Occasions mentioned the choice defied “a longstanding perception that church leaders would by no means choose a pope from a world superpower that already has appreciable affect in world affairs.”
The Washington Put up spoke to Rev Gregory Sakowicz, the rector at Holy Identify Cathedral in Chicago. He instructed their reporter as he was instructed Robert Prevost had been elected to be pope he appeared out the window and at that second the solar got here out.
“It’s an incredible day for Chicago, the nation and the world,” Sakowicz mentioned, including that upon listening to the information his congregation “erupted” and acted like “the Chicago Bears gained the Tremendous Bowl.”
Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the president of the Philippines, the place 80% of the inhabitants is Catholic, has congratulated Pope Leo on his election and mentioned he prayed that he would “proceed to deliver the Church nearer to the poor and deprived”. In a press release carried by native media, he mentioned:
On behalf of the Philippines, I congratulate Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the USA on his election because the successor of Pope Francis and chief of the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church
“As the brand new pontiff, who took the papal identify Leo XIV, ascends the Chair of St. Peter and assumes the mantle of Bishop of Rome, I pray that he’ll proceed to deliver the Church nearer to the poor and deprived.
The Filipino individuals are additionally praying for the brand new pope’s power and good well being as he leads the devoted with grace, knowledge and compassion. Could his life and ministry encourage us to persevere in our day by day stroll with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Pope Francis “clearly had his eye on Prevost” as his successor, the Related Press writes. Right here’s a bit extra evaluation from the company on how and why Pope Leo could have been chosen from amongst his friends:
Prevost had been a number one candidate for the papacy since Francis tapped him to be head of the Vatican’s highly effective Dicastery for Bishops, which vets bishop nominations all over the world.
There had lengthy been a taboo on a US pope, given America’s superpower standing within the secular world, however Prevost prevailed, maybe as a result of he’s additionally a Peruvian citizen and had lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary after which as bishop.
Francis, the primary Latin American pope, clearly had his eye on Prevost and in some ways noticed him as his inheritor obvious. He despatched Prevost to take over an advanced diocese in Peru in 2014, then introduced him to the Vatican in 2023.
Earlier this yr, Francis elevated Prevost into the senior ranks of cardinals, giving him prominence going into the conclave that few different cardinals had.
Since arriving in Rome, Prevost had saved a low public profile however was well-known to the boys who rely.
Considerably, he presided over one of the vital revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three girls to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to ahead to the pope.

Dan Collyns
The election of Pope Leo XIV has been celebrated throughout Latin America, the place many hailed him because the second pontiff from the area, after his Argentinian predecessor, Francis.
The information prompted specific elation in Peru, the place he lived and labored for greater than 20 years and was granted citizenship in 2015. Within the capital, Lima, the bells of the cathedral rang in celebration.
In his first look from the Vatican balcony, Leo XIV briefly switched from Italian to Spanish to deal with the devoted “from my beloved diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru”, the place he served as bishop for greater than a decade.
Peru’s president, Dina Boluarte, hailed the “historic” election of Leo XIV, whom she described as a Peruvian “by selection and conviction” who had devoted greater than 20 years of service to the nation.
Even so, Prevost has spoken out towards Boluarte’s authorities prior to now. In early 2023, he described his “unhappiness and ache” over the deaths of 49 protesters in anti-government demonstrations that erupted when President Boluarte took workplace in December 2022, changing Pedro Castillo who was compelled out for trying to droop congress.
On the time Prevost mentioned the unrest mirrored the historic neglect of Peru’s poor, saying: “This battle doesn’t symbolize the most effective of the nation.”
The wires have been digging out footage of the brand new pope along with his predecessors, Pope John Paul II, who led the Church from 1978 to 2005, in addition to Pope Benedict XVI (2005-13), and his late good friend Pope Francis (2013-2025):
Pope’s brother realises he has missed pontiff’s calls throughout interview
John Prevost, Pope Leo’s brother, has given an interview to the Related Press wherein at one level he realised he had missed a number of calls from the pontiff. The information company writes:
He [John] gave the brand new pope a name again.
Leo instructed him he wasn’t fascinated about being a part of the interview and after a quick message of congratulations and dialogue wherein they talked like all two brothers about journey preparations, they hung up.
Persevering with the interview, John instructed the AP that he anticipated his brother to be a “second Pope Francis”.
He’s not going to be actual far left and he’s not going to be actual far proper … Sort of proper down the center.
Why select the identify Leo?

Catherine Pepinster
What’s in a reputation? On the subject of a pope – every thing. The white smoke from the Sistine Chapel earlier this night instructed the world {that a} new pope to succeed Francis had been elected – and for the primary time the pontiff is from the US.
But when Donald Trump and his Catholic convert Veep, JD Vance, are able to cheer, then they need to assume once more. Cardinal Robert Prevost has chosen the identify Leo XIV – and for those who’re a papal Leo, you are usually a reformer on the progressive finish of Catholicism.
That Prevost has determined to grow to be Leo XIV will make Catholics assume instantly of the final Leo – Leo XIII – and his 1891 encyclical or educating doc, Rerum Novarum, which outlined employees’ rights to a good wage, secure working situations and the rights of employees to belong to commerce unions.
If Pope Francis was the Folks’s Pope, then Leo XIV is all set to be the Employees’ Pope.
Opening abstract
Whats up and welcome to the Guardian’s reside protection of Pope Leo XIV’s first full day in workplace, throughout which he’s anticipated to carry his first mass as chief of the Catholic church.
Robert Francis Prevost, the primary US-born pope, will have fun a personal mass with cardinals on the Sistine Chapel on Friday at 11am (0900 GMT), throughout which he’ll ship his a lot anticipated first homily as pope. It will likely be broadcast reside.
The 69-year-old, who has spent a lot of his life in Peru, was elected by his fellow cardinals on Thursday throughout a secret conclave after the demise of his predecessor, Pope Francis.
With the selection of Prevost, consultants say, the cardinals opted for continuity with the late Francis, a progressive from Argentina who shook up the Church in his 12-year papacy.
“He’s a reasonable consensus candidate who matches right into a mushy continuity, a mild continuity with Pope Francis, who is not going to alienate conservatives,” mentioned Francois Mabille, a researcher on the Paris-based assume tank IRIS and creator of a ebook on Vatican technique.
Right here’s what it is best to know concerning the new pope:
-
Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni mentioned the selection of the identify Leo was a “clear and deliberate” reference to the final pope named Leo. Leo XIII was elected in 1878 and was finest recognized for his 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum, which outlined employees’ rights.
-
In his first feedback after his election, Pope Leo XIV preached a message of “unity” and of “transferring ahead”. He mentioned he desires this message of peace to “enter your hearts, to achieve your households and all folks, wherever they’re.”
-
Many shared their pleasure at having an American pope, and particularly a pope born in Chicago. Metropolis mayor Brandon Johnson tweeted “Every thing dope, together with the Pope, comes from Chicago” and former US president Barack Obama congratulated the “fellow Chicagoan” on social media.
-
The election of Prevost was additionally celebrated in Peru, the place he has spent a lot of his life. Peru’s president, Dina Boluarte described him as a Peruvian “by selection and conviction”.
-
US president Donald Trump mentioned he was “shocked” however that it’s a “nice honour” to have an American pope. Leaders from nations all over the world additionally supplied their congratulations.
-
An account on X extensively believed to belong to the brand new pope reveals him to be considerably vital of the Trump administration. The account posted two articles that took challenge with the stance by JD Vance, additionally a Catholic, on immigration. One article was headlined “JD Vance is unsuitable: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.”
-
Leo’s brother, John Prevost, instructed US media that Leo, was not afraid to talk his thoughts and that he was at the moment very sad with “what’s happening with immigration”. He instructed the New York Occasions: “I don’t assume he’ll keep quiet for too lengthy if he has one thing to say … I do know he’s not pleased with what’s happening with immigration. I do know that for a truth.”
-
In a 2012 handle to the world Synod of Bishops, the then Father Robert Francis Prevost appeared to criticise homosexuality. He mentioned “Western mass media is awfully efficient in fostering inside most people monumental sympathy for beliefs and practices which might be at odds with the Gospel – for instance abortion, gay life-style, euthanasia”.
-
Like his predecessor, Pope Francis, Leo can also be on the report as opposing the ordination of girls. He instructed a 2023 synod that “clericalizing girls” wouldn’t clear up issues within the Catholic Church and would possibly create new ones, based on the Catholic information company.