Leo XIV the new Pope. “Peace to you” his first words

The new pope is U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost, 69 years old, who had previously served as the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops after his time as a missionary in Peru. “God loves everyone, help us build bridges of dialogue to be reached by His love. We want to be a synodal Church, one that walks, always seeks peace, charity, and is close, especially to those who suffer.”

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The new pope is the 69-year-old U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost, an Augustinian missionary in Peru, who was called by Pope Francis to the Vatican in 2023 as the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. He was elected this afternoon by the conclave in the fourth vote: at 6:08 PM, the white smoke rose from St. Peter's Square. A little more than an hour later, the announcement was made with the traditional “Habemus Papam” formula by Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti from the Loggia of the Blessings, along with the chosen name of Leo XIV, which recalls the legacy of the pope of Rerum Novarum, the first great social encyclical of the Church’s magisterium.

A few minutes later, Prevost—visibly moved—addressed the large crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square. “Peace be with you all,” were his first words. “This is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life. I would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, reach your families wherever they are, and reach all peoples, all the earth.”

“This is the peace of the Risen Christ, disarmed and disarming—coming from God, who loves us all unconditionally,” continued Leo XIV. “We still hear in our ears the weak but still courageous voice of Pope Francis blessing Rome. He gave his blessing to the whole world on Easter morning. Allow me to continue that same blessing: God loves you all, and evil will not prevail. We are all in God’s hands. Without fear, united hand in hand with God and with each other, let us move forward.”

“We are disciples of Christ, who precedes us: the world needs His light,” the pope said in his first speech. “Humanity needs Him as the bridge to be reached by God and His love. Help us, each other, to build bridges through dialogue, through encounter, uniting us all to be one people, always in peace.”

Addressing his thanks to Pope Francis and the cardinal confreres who elected him, he invited them “to walk together with you as a united Church, seeking peace, justice, working as men and women faithful to Jesus Christ, without fear, to proclaim the Gospel, to be missionaries. I am a son of St. Augustine, who said: ‘With you I am a Christian, for you I am a bishop.’ In this sense, we can all walk together toward that homeland that God has prepared for us.”

The new pope also gave a special greeting to his diocese, the Church of Rome: “We must search together for how to be a missionary Church, one that builds bridges and dialogue, always open to receive, like this square with open arms.” Pope Prevost then greeted in Spanish the people of Chiclayo, Peru, the diocese he led until 2023, “where a faithful people accompanied their bishop, shared their faith, and gave him so much.”

Finally, addressing the “brothers and sisters of Rome, Italy, and the whole world,” he said, “We want to be a synodal Church, one that walks and always seeks peace, charity, and closeness, especially to those who suffer.” On the day of the supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii, he asked the faithful to join in the prayer of the Hail Mary, invoking the Virgin who “always wants to walk with us, stay close to help us with her intercession.” “Let us pray together,” he concluded, “for this new mission, for the Church, for peace in the world. We ask for this special grace from Mary, our mother.”