Letter #40, 2025, Friday, May 9: Leo XIV

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost is the 267th Roman Pontiff with the name of Leo XIV. He is the first North American to be elected pope and the first Peruvian citizen. Vatican City, 8 May 2025. | Photo Grzegorz Galazka

    Pope Leo XIV. He was chosen yesterday by the 133 assembled voting cardinals to be the Bishop of Rome and the Successor of St. Peter, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, and the Vicar of Christ in our world…

    Letter #40, 2025, Friday, May 9: Pope Leo XIV

    Yesterday afternoon, Thursday, May 8, the papal conclave ended with white smoke at 6:07 in the evening.

    An hour later, the new Pope, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, 69, an American from the south side of Chicago, appeared on the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, to make his first appearance to the world as Pope Leo XIV.

    The first most striking thing: his silence.

    He did not speak for a considerable time, evidently deeply moved, as the crowd applauded.

    The second most striking thing: he prayed the entire Hail Mary, in Latin, the first time a new Pope has ever done that. His pontificate thus begins under the sign of Mary, Our Lady, the Bless Mother of Jesus.

    His first words were of peace.

    “Peace be with all of you!” were the first words he spoke.

    Here is the entire transcript of his first words:

    Pope Leo XIV: “Peace be with all of you”

    Pope Leo XIV greeted the city of Rome and the world with these words at his first appearance as the Successor of Peter from the Central Loggia of St Peter’s Basilica:

    Pope Leo XIV: Greetings to Rome and to the world, May 8, 2025

    Peace be with you!

    Dearest brothers and sisters, this was the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave His life for the flock of God. I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are; and all the peoples, and all the earth: Peace be with you.

    This is the peace of the Risen Christ, a disarming and humble and preserving peace.

    It comes from God. God, who loves all of us, without any limits or conditions.

    Let us keep in our ears the weak but always brave voice of Pope Francis, who blessed Rome — the Pope who blessed Rome and the world that day on the morning of Easter.

    Allow me to continue that same blessing.

    God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail.

    We are all in the hands of God.

    Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward.

    We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us, and the world needs His light.

    Humanity needs Him like a bridge to reach God and His love.

    You help us to build bridges with dialogue and encounter so we can all be one people always in peace.

    Thank you Pope Francis!

    Thank you to my Cardinal brothers who chose me to be the Successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a united Church searching all together for peace and justice, working together as women and men, faithful to Jesus Christ without fear, proclaiming Christ, to be missionaries, faithful to the Gospel.

    I am a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian.

    He said, “With you I am a Christian, for you a bishop.”

    So may we all walk together towards that homeland that God has prepared for us.

    To the Church of Rome, a special greeting:

    We have to look together how to be a missionary Church, building bridges, dialogue, always open to receiving with open arms for everyone, like this square, open to all, to all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.

    [In Spanish]:

    Hello to all and especially to those of my diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, a loyal, faithful people accompanying the bishop and helping the bishop.

    [Returning to Italian]:

    To all you brothers and sisters of Rome, Italy, of all the world, we want to be a synodal Church, walking and always seeking peace, charity, closeness, especially to those who are suffering.

    Today is the day of the Supplicatio [Plea] to Our Lady of Pompei.

    Our blessed mother Mary always wants to walk with us, be close to us, she always wants to help us with her intercession and her love. So let us pray together for this mission, and for all of the Church, and for peace in the world.

    We ask for this special grace from Mary, our Mother.

    “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art Thou among women, and blessed in the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.” [accompanied by the crowds in St Peter’s Square and around the world.].

    ***

    So these impressions remain: the fact that he was silent for a long time when he first came out on the balcony, seemingly deeply moved; the fact that he chose the name Pope Leo XIV (a deeper reflection on this name in a future letter); the fact that he spoke of peace, and of Church unity, suggesting that he will use his voice to speak the Gospel of Jesus Christ to our world, and to fulfill the final prayer of Jesus, “that they all may be one”; and, the fact that he prayed the Hail Mary, in Latin, a sign of traditional Marian piety. And, that he was elected on the Feast Day of St. Michael the Archangel’s appearance in St. Michael’s cave on the Gargano peninsula on the eastern coast of Italy, and took the name of Pope Leo XIV, who wrote the prayer to St. Michael, and ordered it be said at the end of every Mass.

    ***

    Right now, the US bishops are holding a press conference at the North American College in Rome. I will attend the press conference, then be podcasting with special guests on the rooftop overlooking St. Peter ‘s Square on our YouTube Urbi et Orbi Communications channel, live at this link or this link. (Membership is completely free. Please consider joining us.)

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