Catholic Church: American Robert Prevost New Pope

For the first time there is a Pope from the United States: the American Robert Francis Prevost was elected as the new head of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide after only 24 hours. As a Pontifex, the 69-year-old will bear the name Leo XIV.

After his election, he showed himself to the public for the first time on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at 7.13 p.m. Then huge jubilation broke out. He called the more than 100,000 people who had been waiting for the new Pope in Italian: “Peace is with all of you, dear brothers and sisters.”

He also referred to his immediate predecessor Francis: “God loves all of us and evil will not win. Let us go forward without fear, hand in hand with God and each other. Help us build bridges. Thank you, Pope Francis.”

Prevost has been one of the most important men in the Vatican. In the curia – the power apparatus of the Catholic Church – he led the Dicaster (Ministry) for all bishops worldwide. He used to work as a missionary and bishop in Peru. From this time he also has Peruvian citizenship. He was also general priority of the Augustinian order.

New Pontifex is considered a man in the middle – congratulations from Trump

The American is considered a man in the middle, who can convey well between the conservative camp and the warehouse in the church, which is open to reforms. He is also well networked internationally through his career. In front of the conclave he had been the circle of favorites – but not in the very first places. He was also considered a confidante of Francis. The Argentine was in office for twelve years until his death on Easter Monday.

As one of the first congratulated US President Donald Trump. “It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope,” Trump wrote on his online language tube Truth Social. However, Prevost had not considered the president’s desired candidate, but his significantly more conservative US colleague Cardinal Raymond Burke (76). Officially, Trump had never commented.

White smoke at 6:08 p.m.

The conclave ended faster than many expected: White smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine chapel at 6:08 p.m. – the sign that the 133 cardinals from all over the world had agreed with a two -thirds majority. Four electoral courses were sufficient. There was great jubilation on St. Peter’s Square. In addition, the bells rang from St. Peter’s Basilica – as later by many other Catholic churches around the world.

The Italian Pietro Parolin, which was almost everywhere as a top favorite, did not prevail. The previous number two of the Vatican has been Francis’ State Secretary for the past few years. The hope of the Italians, after almost half a century with popes from Poland, Germany and Argentina, to see a compatriot as a Pontifex was not fulfilled. Other favorites such as the Philippiner Luis Antonio Tagle or the Frenchman Jean-Marc Aveline now remain cardinals.

First signals differently than Francis

After his election, the new Pope was dressed in white in the chapel’s sacristy. All cardinals swore obedience to him. After a common prayer, he went to the Mittelloggia of St. Peter’s Basilica. There the French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti announced the famous Habemus Papam (we have a Pope) – and then named Prevost’s name.

Unlike its predecessor, the new Pontifex wore a gold brocade stole on its first appearance, like former popes. Church connoisseurs are now eagerly awaited whether, like Francis, he will be satisfied with an apartment in the guest house of the Vatican or pulls into the Apostolic Palace – as was common until Francis’ election 2013.

US flags on St. Peter’s Square

Leo XIV is the 267th Pontifex in two thousands of church history. With his name he relies on Pope Leo XIII. (1810-1903). For the first time, he donated the blessing Urbi et Orbi (the city and the earth) from the balcony. On St. Peter’s Square, some also waved US flags. After the news of the white smoke, many residents and tourists had made their way to the central square of the small church state in the heart of the Italian capital.

The successor to the Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88, was thus chosen relatively quickly. The cardinals had only moved into the chapel on Wednesday at 5:45 p.m., where they then strictly sealed off the outside world. They were not allowed to have any contact outside, even during the breaks and at night.

After only four electoral courses

Since the 1960s, no conclave has been lasted for more than three days, not this time either. It was also faster than in 2013 when choosing Francis, who needed five electoral courses. The election committee with 133 cardinals was more large than ever. On the first evening it took more than three hours until black smoke rose into the evening sky above the Vatican for the first time. On the second day, too, there was the signal again at lunchtime: no agreement. But it was time in the evening.

The Catholic Church thus has a new pontiff after twelve years under Francis and two and a half weeks of sedism vacancy (time of the unoccupied chair). It is eagerly awaited whether Pope Leo XIV will continue the careful reform course of the Argentine. Conservative cardinals had previously made demands to return to a more traditional course.

Catholic Church loses members in Europe

In Europe, the Catholic Church has lost significantly to members in recent years, promoted by numerous abuse scandals. The number of Catholics increases on other continents. There was therefore a lot of speculation in advance that the new Pope could not come from Italy again. Since 1978 the pole was Johannes Paul II, the German Benedict XVI. and the Argentinian Francis in office.

According to Catholic theory of faith, the Pope is the successor to the apostle Peter and deputy of Jesus Christ on earth. He is also Bishop of Rome, Primas of Italy and head of state of the Vatican. He doesn’t have great world power. But it is a moral authority for many people.

On Sunday first Angelus prayer in front of tens of thousands

Francis had been at the head of the Catholic Church for more than twelve years. He died of the consequences of a stroke in the Vatican on Easter Monday after driving his papamobile over St. Peter’s Square the day before. Previously, he had been in the Gemelli Hospital for more than a month with a life-threatening pneumonia in Rome. Now he is buried in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, his favorite church in Rome.

It is expected that the new Pope Leo XIV will soon prove to its predecessor again. Otherwise, on Sunday with the traditional Angelus prayer in front of tens of thousands of believers on St. Peter’s Square, there is a public appearance. There will probably be a big trade fair for the inauguration next week, to which numerous state guests are expected.