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How World Leaders Welcomed First US Pope, Robert Prevost
World leaders on Thursday welcomed the election of Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, who becomes the first leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics from the United States.
Of the 266 popes who have led the Catholic Church,not one of them had been from the United States, until Thursday.
The cardinal electors gathered for the papal conclave, and elected an American from among their own ranks on Thursday to serve as the new pontiff.
The Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Provost was elected and accepted his fate as the next Bishop of Rome, leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, while choosing Leo XIV as his papal name.
Prevost, 69, is a dual US-Peruvian citizen who worked for decades in the north of Peru, first as a missionary and later as Bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023.
He succeeds Pope Francis, who had led the Catholic Church since 2013.
US President Donald Trump congratulated the new pope and said it was “a great honour” for the country.
“I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment,” he added.
Former US president Barack Obama congratulated the “fellow Chicagoan”, and said: “This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he hoped for the “continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican”, while Russian President Vladimir Putin said he is confident the “constructive dialogue and cooperation” between Russia and the Vatican will continue.
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas sent his “best wishes” for success to Pope Leo XIV in maintaining the legacy of the late Pope Francis and his peace efforts.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog looked forward to stronger ties with the Vatican. “May your papacy be one of building bridges and understanding between all faiths and peoples,” he said.
Peru’s President Dina Boluarte hailed the “historic” election of a pope who has US and Peruvian nationality after spending more than 20 years in the country.
“In our lands, he sowed hope, walking alongside those most in need,” she said.
Leader of the world’s second-largest Catholic population, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum praised Pope Leo’s values “in favour of world peace and prosperity”.
“I hope he becomes a great leader for migrant peoples around the world, and I hope he encourages our Latin American migrant brothers and sisters, humiliated today in the United States. It’s time for them to organise,” said Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
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