Americans gathered in St. Peter’s Square were shocked and overjoyed by the news that Cardinal Robert Provost from the United States was elected as the new pope on Thursday, taking the name Leo XIV.
Father Thomas Montanaro, a priest from the United States belonging to the Legionaries of Christ, expressed his disbelief and happiness at the historic moment. He mentioned, “Who would have ever imagined that we would witness a Holy Father from North America in our lifetime?”
Montanaro was among the many tens of thousands of people who filled St. Peter’s Square for the historic moment.
Cheers of “viva il papa” and applause rippled across the crowd to celebrate the new pope.
Father Darius Lawrence, a priest from California, said the announcement caught him completely off guard.
Reflecting on the unexpected turn of events, Father Montanaro added, “As an American, this is a major surprise for me. I never anticipated an American being chosen as pope. He wasn’t even considered in any of the discussions I had come across – and I had been following the news closely.”
The flags of many nations waved. But tellingly there very few American flags.
The Americans had not come prepared.
They also did not hear Leo speak to them in their native tongue. He used Italian to greet the crowds before turning to Spanish, using a language he used during years of missionary work in Peru, where he also obtained citizenship.
Past popes have shaped the larger world beyond the Catholic Church, and it was not lost on some that Leo might too.
”I’m just hoping that the new pope can help steer us in a good direction and in terms of politics, you know, right now it’s very complicated,” said Andrea Gallardo, a Texan. “I’m just hoping that he’s able to rekindle a good relationship with our president and all the government officials so that we can start going into a good route, I would say.”
In Washington, President Donald Trump said it was an honor for an American to be chosen.
“What greater honor can there be?” Trump said. “We’re a little bit surprised and we’re happy.”
Once white smoke started billowing out from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, “an extraordinary influx of over 150,000 people” came from elsewhere in Rome to fill the square, police said in a statement.
“I was at home, but as soon as the smoke went up, I put on my clothes and I came to the Vatican,” said Thomas Nicolini, 22, a Peruvian from Lima, who is studying economics in Rome.
“I’m really happy about this. I know he’s American, but he was in Peru for a long time, 20 years. He worked in the region of Chiclayo. That’s a beautiful area, but one of the regions that needs lots of hope. So now I’m expecting that the new pope helps as many people as possible, and tries to reignite, let’s say, the faith young people have lost.”
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