Name: Who is Robert Prevost, the new Pope Leo XIV? | BBC News
Uploaded: 2025-05-09T02:51:25.000Z
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Well, the choice of name, Pope Leo XIV, has been hailed by many as a significant one because his predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, well, his pontificate focused on social justice, on labour rights.

Basic passive voice

He was known as the social pope, the reformer.

And we all know that the choice of name is important.

It sets out the new Pope's vision for the future, where he wants to take the church.

Remember, Pope Francis chose the name Francis because of St Francis of Assisi and what he meant to the poor and the marginalised.

While addressing the faithful from the balcony, overseeing St Peter's Square, the new Pope said he wanted to build bridges and spoke of peace.

Brothers, sisters, dear friends, this is the first greeting of Christ resurrected, the good shepherd who has given life for the flock of God.

I would also like this greeting of peace to enter into our house in order to reach all our families, your families, to all people, wherever you are, to all people, to all of our earth.

Shortly after the announcement that Robert Prevost was elected as Pope Leo XIV, President Trump congratulated him, saying that it was such an honour to realise that he is the first American Pope.

The President also said he looked forward to meeting him, saying it will be a very meaningful moment.

Well, here's what he had to say in person a short time ago.

Again, to have the Pope from the United States of America, that's a great honour.

I'm watching and they say he's from America.

Let's cross live now and join my colleague, Neda Taufik, who joins me from St Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan.

Neda, what's the reaction been where you are to the first American Pope?

Well, certainly a lot of excitement, Maryam.

Many people, in fact not just Catholics, but ordinary Americans as well, coming down to this cathedral, St Patrick's, on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, where no less than five Popes have visited in the past, including Pope Francis.

I was able to break the news to a few people who were walking by, who were just absolutely shocked that it was an American who was named as Pope.

But others came here because they felt compelled, including Andy Richter, who is with me now.

Andy, just talk to me about your reaction when you heard the news.

I was sitting in a doctor's office, just in the waiting room.

And then my phone just exploded with news alerts from so many different agencies.

And then I found out he was the Archbishop of Chicago.

And I was thrilled for that because I know how strong both the Chicago work ethic and Catholic work ethic there is through friends of mine that live there.

So I think it's a surprising yet splendid choice.

Did you ever think you would see an American Pope?

You know, I'm studying a bit of history, and I remember when Jack Kennedy ran for president, and some folks were afraid that somehow as a Catholic America would be ruled by Rome.

And I think in this case, it will be all of the sensibilities that the new pope brings from every place in the world that he's been that will guide his papacy, which is something that I prayed for here today.

Well, I learned the hard way that God works through the people that are put around you.

And I do believe that if this pope was chosen so quickly after two days of a conclave, I think the movie was actually longer than this conclave.

Um, then all of the other cardinals did see that God works through this person in a way that he deserves to be the next leader of the church.

And you told me you prayed for the pope as part of your prayer.

You know, in spirit of that God working through human beings that God continue to guide this new pope as he guides the church and so many more that even the non Catholics that he inspires through that kind of work, he'll lead the church and humanity well into the 21st century.

You know, you mentioned that you were a fan of Pope Francis.

Pope Leo is supposed to really kind of carry on a lot of his legacy in work.

Well, first of all, when I heard that Pope Francis had appointed 80% of the cardinals in the conclave, I knew that somehow they were all people that believed in what Francis believed.

So though the speculation was that a more conservative pope might be in the running, I just didn't see that happening because they know that the catholic church is headed in such a positive direction despite its issues.

I'm a lapse catholic with my own issues with the church, but I couldn't be more thrilled with the good work that will continue under Pope Leo's tutelage.

Of he's also has peruvian citizenship, spent a lot of time there, loved it.

And that's why he's being called the latin yankee.

What do you make of the fact that you do have a pope that is really representing the Americas in such a way?

I think it's a wonderful bridge that we were lacking.

And I think in this political environment, this particular environment that the United States finds itself in, I think it will be a great counterbalance for us.

As I think this pope will also work on trying to bridge that gap that suddenly emerged between the United States and the rest of the Americas because his heart is in both places.

So as you can see, Miriam, a lot of excitement, a lot of people here really just shocked that they thought they'd never see the day to have an american pope and one, as Andy was just saying there, that does really represent the Americas in such a way.

Yes, it represents the Americas because, of course, as we just saw there, Pope Leo XIV means so much to North Americans because he was born in Chicago.

He was bishop of Chicago, but he only lived there till he was 27.

And at some point he fell in love with the country of Peru and now holds dual Peruvian and U.S.

Well, let's take a moment now to reflect on Pope Leo and what he means for the church.

Father Eamon Conway is chair of the Peter Huneman Foundation for the Advancement of Catholic Theology in Europe.

And it's such a pleasure to talk to you, Father.

Thank you for joining me on such a historic evening.

And just if I can ask you, first of all, for your thoughts and feelings at this deeply I was particularly moved watching the images from the square, even before we knew who the new pope was, the extraordinary sense of joy that there would be a pope, particularly so many young people that were there.

Can you imagine any other organization where even before we know who is elected that we cheer?

And I think that's a tremendous statement about the future of the church and the energy in the church.

And then it was mentioned there a moment ago, the tears in Pope Leo's eyes.

I think there's a dynamic already between him and those who are gathered in the square.

My friends will bear witness to the fact that I actually I said to myself that we don't need if we can't elect or won't elect one of the front runners, it could well be Cardinal Prevost.

And I actually said that in advance because I thought there was a quiet, unassuming, but firm nature in him that I observed during the Synod of Bishops, where I was present at, and a man who is a details man, who will follow up maybe in a lot of the detail work that's needed for Pope Francis's synodal pathway to continue.

But at the same time, as we're aware now, and if you just look at his Twitter feed, maybe look quickly before it might be taken down, he's extraordinarily clear and firm on social justice issues, as you've already been commenting on.

And the choice of the name, of course, brings him right back to something pivotal in terms of articulating the Church's teaching on social justice.

So we're going to have somebody who's going to do a lot of reform within the Church, I believe, continue the reform of Pope Francis, but who will also be a very clear moral voice.

And the fact that he's an American may be coincidental, but I do believe it's actually providential at this time.

Because I think we need a strong voice in a certain sense to balance what's coming out of North America at the moment, particularly out of the US.

And I think we're going to find he may not intend to be political, but he will stand for justice and for truth and for love in a very strong way.

Just look at what he said immediately after J.D.

Vance's statement on immigration, he came out very strongly, he said, J.D.

Vance is wrong, colon, he said, Jesus Christ does not allow us to That's a very strong statement, very succinct, which I think is the nature of the man, but uncompromising.

And an uncompromising, succinct comment to J.D.

Vance as a cardinal, will he, do you think, take the similar lines as Pope?

Because it's different, isn't it, when you become Pope, you have to become a bit more of a diplomat.

Yeah, I think, and I think that would be what people would want and expect in the role.

Above all, he has to be, you know, a witness to unity.

But I don't think he's going to change his position on that.

So, you know, that's what he's been elected to represent.