Announcement prompts raucous celebration and delight among 50,000 pilgrims and tourists in St Peter’s Square

I’m rather surprised no one has posted pope news yet. So here you go. His past writings suggest a liberal bent, but popes are wont to surprise.

Robert Francis Prevost has become the first clergyman from the United States to lead the Roman Catholic church, ending the Vatican’s longstanding opposition to the idea of a US pontiff.

The 69-year-old from Chicago has taken the papal name Pope Leo XIV, a senior cardinal announced from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on Thursday evening.

The announcement, which followed white smoke billowing from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel, prompted raucous celebration and delight among the 50,000 pilgrims and tourists in St Peter’s Square.

I’ll respectfully avoid the reference to guys from Chicago in Star Trek: Picard.

  • Pete Hahnloser@beehaw.orgOPEnglish
    3·
    21 hours ago

    At a certain point, you have to realise people do things deliberately. Francis set him up because he was going to continue reforms. I’m not religious; I left the Catholic church at 12. But it’s inarguable that the pope has outsized influence – we can’t ignore that.

    We can talk about what priests have done – I’m an SA survivor myself (though not from priests) – but that holds no bearing on what is expected of Leo. My gut says this was a good choice.

    Am I qualified to make such an assessment? No, I’m not. Nonetheless, I’ll hold off on any interpretation until we see action.