Americans in St. Peter’s square were stunned and joyous once they learned that an American cardinal, Robert Provost, was elected pope Thursday and had taken the name Leo XIV.
“Who in our lifetime would have thought that we’d see a North American Holy Father?” said Father Thomas Montanaro, an American priest with the Legionaries of Christ.
Montanaro was amongst the various tens of 1000’s of people that filled St. Peter’s Square for the historic moment.
Cheers of “viva il papa” and applause rippled across the gang to rejoice the brand new pope.
Father Darius Lawrence, a priest from California, said the announcement caught him completely off guard.
“As an American, it’s an enormous surprise,” he said. “I might have never expected an American to be named as pope. He wasn’t on any of the lists I’d seen — and I’d been looking into it just a little bit.”
The flags of many countries waved. But tellingly there have been hardly any American flags. An Associated Press reporter within the square saw just one, held by an Italian.
The Americans had not come prepared.
They also didn’t hear Leo speak to them of 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 brand new pope may also help steer us in direction and by way of politics, , without delay it’s very complicated,” said Andrea Gallardo, a Texan. “I’m just hoping that he’s in a position to rekindle relationship with our president and all the federal government officials in order that we will start going into route, I might 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 just a little bit surprised and we’re pleased.”
The election of Provost resonated as well with Thomas NicolinChicli, 22, a Peruvian from Lima, who’s studying economics in Rome.
“I used to be at home, but as soon because the smoke went up, I placed on my clothes and I got here to the Vatican .. as soon as I heard his name, I got here here,” he said.
“I’m really pleased about this. I do know he’s American, but he was in Peru for a very long time, 20 years. He worked within the region of Chiclayo. That’s a gorgeous area, but one in all the regions that needs a lot of hope. So now I’m expecting that the brand new pope helps as many individuals as possible, and tries to reignite, let’s say, the religion young people have lost.”
