Pope Leo XIV. Credit: Getty Images
The smoke above the Vatican is white. On Thursday evening local time, Robert Francis Prevost, 69, was elected as the new Pope. He took the name Leo XIV, the first Leo in over a hundred years. While Catholics worldwide celebrated him, some were less than happy. On social media, MAGA supporters are now criticizing Leo.
Only two days after the conclave of Catholic cardinals met in Vatican City and looked themselves in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope, the smoke on top of the building was white; a new pope had been elected. American Robert Prevost appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to the roar of thousands of people gathered in St Peter’s Square. He took the name Leo XIV, meaning 13 popes before him have chosen.
Speaking to CBS, Dennis Doyle, a theologian and professor emeritus of religious studies at the University of Dayton, explained that a pope’s name indicates “a certain spirit and direction and vision of the new pope.”
“The first thing that you would look for would be, which popes had that name before?” he said. “That would signify something about the direction that the pope wants to take.”
CBS papal contributor Candida Moss said the name Leo can be traced back to Pope Leo the Great. He held his papacy from 440 to 461 and famously met with Attila the Hun and talked him out of attacking Rome.
“What does this mean for our new Pope? Well, it might mean that he, too, is going to stand up to oppressive political forces in the world,” Moss told CBS, adding that Leo is known as a “great intellectual and theological reformer. “
Pope Leo XIV
When appearing on the balcony, Pope Leo XIV held a ceremonial speech to Catholics worldwide, beginning with the words, “Peace be with you.”
Leo continued, “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. 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: Peace be with you.”
“This is the peace of the Risen Christ, a disarming and humble and preserving peace. It 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 – the Pope who blessed Rome and the world that day on the morning of Easter.”
Pope Leo XIV also thanked his “cardinal brothers” for choosing him as Pope. He sent a special greeting to the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, where he served as Bishop between 2014 and 2023.
“To all the faithful here present, and to all those who receive his blessing through the radio, through television, and other technologies of communication. You can recognise him in the way recognised by the church,” the Pope concluded. “Let us hope that he’s preserved for a long time and ensure peace to the church throughout the world.”
Who is Pope Leo XIV?
Pope Leo XIV made history as the first American Pope. So, who is he? Born in Chicago, Illinois, on September 14, 1955, Prevost grew up in the suburb of Dalton. Although not much is known about his childhood, in an interview with NBC Chicago, the Pope’s brother, John, said it was “normal.” It appears Pope Leo XIV had his life planned out from a very early age.
“I think he knew it by first grade that he was going to be a priest. And there was no question in anyone’s mind. I think the question that our parents had was, would you be a diocesan priest and work at a parish, or would you be an order priest. Which he chose, Augustinian,” John Prevost, the Pope’s brother, said.
Pope Leo decided to leave his normal childhood behind and left for an Augustinian Seminary.
“He went right from high school seminary, and then Augustinian College at Villanova, and then the year of theology. So he wasn’t home a lot, except for summer vacations,” the Pope’s brother continued, adding that despite being the youngest, Leo usually gave them advice. “It’s usually the other way around; he gives the advice to us.”
In an interview with the Italian network Rai before his election, Pope Leo XIV explained that he grew up in an immigrant family.
“I was born in the United States… But my grandparents were all immigrants, French, Spanish… I was raised in a very Catholic family, both of my parents were very engaged in the parish,” he said.
“He maintains good humour and joy”
Prevost holds American and Peruvian citizenship, which will affect his career within the church. He gave his vows in 1981 and studied in Rome. After that, he was sent on a mission to Peru and stayed there for many years. In 2014, he was appointed bishop of Ciclayo in Peru.
As per The Guardian, Rev Fidel Purisaca Vigil, the communications director for Prevost’s old diocese in Chiclayo, Pope Leo XIV was a calm and grounded leader. He always sat down with fellow priests after morning prayer to eat breakfast.
“No matter how many problems he has, he maintains good humour and joy,” Rev Fidel Purisaca Vigil told the Associated Press.
Another person who spoke about Leo is his former roommate, Reverend John Lyndon. He lived with the Pope for a decade in Peru and told the BBC that he was an “outstanding” and “down-to-earth” person who loved singing and cooking.
“Sometimes he would make pizza, back in those days you couldn’t get good pizza in Peru,” Rev Lyndon told the BBC. “He was somebody you would sit down with and just talk and laugh,” he adds. “He had a very good singing voice as well.”
He continued, “We always had to block out a week for his birthday, which is in December, because every part of the parish wanted to celebrate his birthday,” he concluded, “It’s an amazing thing. I’m still absorbing it.”
Leo XIV has long supported the previous Pope, Pope Francis. He supported him in blessing same-sex couples and other people in “irregular situations.” However, he also believed that bishops had to interpret it in directives by local cultures.
Pope Leo “didn’t” think he’d win election, brother reveals
Like his predecessor, Leo has spoken out about the threat of climate change, and said last year that it’s time to move from “words to action.” He also said that humanity has to build a “relationship of reciprocity” with the environment. Moreover, he has supported the installation of solar panels and the adoption of electric vehicles.
Pope Francis was also a supporter of women joining the Dicastery for Bishops. In 2023, he told Vatican News that he had, on several occasions, seen women’s “point of view as an enrichment.”
Before becoming Pope, Leo’s most high-profile role inside the Vatican was President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, overseeing the selection of new bishops worldwide.
Exactly how many votes Leo received inside the conclave is not known. He was not among the favorites beforehand. Speaking to NBC Chicago, John Prevost revealed that he asked his brother if he had watched the movie Conclave before the start of the real papal conclave, so he’d “know how to behave” if he were elected.
“So he knew how to behave. So it’s that kind of stuff, because I wanted to take his mind off of it, laugh about something, because this is now an awesome responsibility,” Prevost told NBC, adding that Pope Leo was doubtful about ‘winning’ the election..
“He didn’t think so. I kind of did, because what I was reading and what I was hearing that there were three outstanding candidates that were in first, second and third place. The Cardinal from the Philippines, the Secretary of State and him,” Prevost said, concluding that he “didn’t believe” that his brother actually won.
Donald Trump congratulates
“I didn’t believe it, and Rob didn’t believe it. I should say, Pope Leo didn’t believe it at all, because there’s not going to be an American pope was the attitude,” Prevost said.
Leo’s papacy will go down in history as the first to be American. It didn’t take long before US President Donald Trump congratulated the newly elected Pope through his Truth Social account.
“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”
The President added, “I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he was a “little bit surprised” that Pope Leo won the election but reiterated that it was an “absolutely great honor.” He added, “It’s such a great honor for our country, an American pope, and what greater honor can there be?”
While the President of the United States congratulated Pope Leo XIV, his supporters had other ideas. On social media, MAGA supporters and several Republican influencers
MAGA-suporters furious over Pope Leo election win
Not long ago, Prevost publicly criticized VP JD Vance and expressed sympathy for immigrants and George Floyd. As per Independent, one Trump supporter stated Leo was a “woke Marxcist Pope,” adding that he is “worse than Francis.”
Alt-right conspiracy theorist Mike Cernovich took to X, writing, “Sorry, Catholics. This new Pope is an open borders globalist. He will be pushing for abortion soon. This isn’t a guess. You can scroll his X account and see what he’s been up to.”
Pro-Trump social media personality Joe Mannarino mentioned that Pope Leo had previously attacked JD Vance and “begged Trump to open the borders like Biden had them.” He added that “this guy is worse than Francis,” and called Leo a “liberal piece of s***” and insisted that “we’re f**cked.”
MAGA influencer Vince Langman was in rage after Pope Leo XIV had been elected, bringing up a 2015 tweet from Prevost where he criticized Trump’s anti-immigrant statements.
“He’s a WOKE Never Trumper liberal. That’s why!” Langman wrote as per the Independent.
Even before the election, supporters of the MAGA movement showed their disapproval if Provost became Pope. Former Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon told Piers Morgan last week, “I do think one of the dark horses — and unfortunately one of the most progressive — is Cardinal Prevost… he’s certainly on the shortlist.”
What do you think of Pope Leo XIV? Please share this article on Facebook with friends and family and give us your opinion!