Pope Leo XIV delivered a powerful message of peace in his first Sunday blessing at the Vatican, just days after becoming the new head of the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church has entered a new chapter with the election of Pope Leo XIV – born Robert Francis Prevost – who was chosen by the conclave just days after the death of Pope Francis.
At 69 years old, Pope Leo becomes the first U.S.-born pontiff in history, and the 267th pope to lead the Church.
The pontiff’s election was officially announced on Thursday (May 8), and moments later, the world began discovering not only who he was, but also what he stands for.
Shortly after his appointment, resurfaced posts began circulating, highlighting the pope’s past comments about President Donald Trump and his administration.
The Independent reported that one tweet he reshared read: “There is nothing remotely Christian, American, or morally defensible about a policy that takes children away from their parents and warehouses them in cages. This is being carried out in our name, and the shame is on us all.”
In another post, he reposted an op-ed titled: “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others.” The article responded to Vance’s claim that Christians should prioritize love in a specific order: family, neighbors, citizens, and then the rest of the world.
Pope Leo also reshared criticism of Trump’s immigration rhetoric from as far back as 2015, highlighting a Washington Post article by Cardinal Timothy Dolan titled: “Why Donald Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric is so problematic.”
Despite the criticism, the 78-year-old president responded to the election on Truth Social with a message of praise: “Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope.
“It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”
Just days after the announcement, Pope Leo gave his first Sunday noon blessing from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica.
Addressing a sea of pilgrims and well-wishers, he pleaded with world leaders to pursue peace. “Never again war,” he declared, per NPR.
He welcomed the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan and called for “a just and lasting peace” in Ukraine, as well as an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, including the release of hostages and delivery of humanitarian aid.
Marking the 80th anniversary of World War II’s end, Leo cited Pope Francis in describing today’s violence as a “third world war in pieces”.
He also took a moment to honor mothers around the globe, offering a heartfelt blessing to “all mothers, including those in heaven”.
While the new pontiff now faces immense global responsibility, his brother John Prevost offered a surprisingly down-to-earth look into Leo’s private life.
The retired Catholic school principal told NBC News that Pope Leo still enjoys Wordle and Words With Friends. “It’s something to keep his mind off life in the real world,” John said.
He also joked with his brother shortly before his election: “I said, ‘Well, do you have your red socks?’ That doesn’t go over well all the time. And I said, ‘Well, are you ready for this? Did you watch the movie Conclave so you know how to behave?’ And he had just finished watching the movie Conclave.”
As John told CBS Chicago, the Prevost family only learned about the election alongside the rest of the world when the announcement aired on TV.
“[My niece] screamed, and I was sort of, ‘Oh my gosh, this is for real. Is this happening?’” he recalled.
Reflecting on the moment, he added: “Shock. Disbelief. A whole lot of pride. A whole lot of, ‘is this for real? Now what are we gonna do?’ That kind of stuff, because this is an awesome responsibility that we have to live up to, that he has to live up to.”
He believes his brother will carry forward Pope Francis’ legacy of advocating for the poor, underprivileged, and disenfranchised – a mission Leo has already echoed in both his public speeches and personal actions.
