Cardinal Robert Prevost has become the first American pope. The sound of the crowd roaring as he greeted thousands gathered for the historic moment echoed throughout the Vatican.
For the first time, the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics hails from the United States — more specifically, the South Side of Chicago. The name he has chosen: Pope Leo XIV.
The 69-year-old Augustinian and former missionary in Peru stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and delivered his first message:
“Peace be with you all.”
His choice of languages: Italian, Spanish and Latin — not English — reflecting a global perspective shaped far beyond U.S. borders.
Pope Leo XIV is no stranger to international work. Before being tapped to lead the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, he served for four years as a bishop in Peru and even holds Peruvian citizenship.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.
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