Robert Prevost becomes first American pope - special episode

Summary

Global News Podcast Summary: Robert Prevost Becomes First American Pope

Podcast Information:

• Title: Global News Podcast
• Host: BBC World Service
• Episode: Special Edition – "Robert Prevost becomes first American pope"
• Release Date: May 8, 2025

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Introduction and Historic Announcement

In a landmark event for the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Robert Prevost from Chicago has been elected as the first American pontiff, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. The announcement was made by French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti at 18:30 GMT on Thursday, May 8, 2025.

Dominique Mamberti proclaimed in Latin:

“Annunzio vobis gaudium manum abemus papam eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum Dominum Robertum Franciscum Sancte Romane ecclesia Cardinalema Prevost.” (00:55)

Translated, this means:

“We have a Pope.”

Shortly after the announcement, Pope Leo XIV appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to address the global congregation of over 40,000 worshippers.

Pope Leo XIV’s Address:

“May the peace be with all of you. 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, may peace be with you.” (01:58)

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Reactions at St. Peter's Square

Mark Loewen, the BBC correspondent present at St. Peter's Square, described the electrifying atmosphere:

“It was just an extraordinary moment... this almighty cheer went up as the Sistine Chapel chimney started billowing smoke... the square... just became so emotional. There were cheers, there was applause... that feeling that they were witnessing a historic moment for the Catholic church and its 1.4 billion followers.” (02:50)

He added that Pope Leo XIV's election united the global north and south, given his American origin and Peruvian nationality.

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Background on Pope Leo XIV

Cardinal Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, hails from Chicago but has served extensively in Latin America as the Bishop of Chiclayu, Peru. At 69 years old, he is considered relatively young for a papacy, suggesting the potential for a lengthy and influential pontificate.

Mark Loewen highlighted his alignment with former Pope Francis:

“He is seen as a reformer to a large extent. He's very close to late Pope Francis' views on the environment, his outreach to the poor and to migrants.” (04:50)

Pope Leo XIV emphasized peace as a central theme in his inaugural message, reflecting the current global tensions in regions like Gaza, Ukraine, and parts of Africa. His multilingual approach, including a shout-out in Spanish to Chiclayu, resonated warmly with the diverse crowd.

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Global Reactions to the Election

The election of Pope Leo XIV has elicited widespread reactions from global leaders:

• Donald Trump, President of the United States, expressed his honor:

  “What a great honor for our country.” (08:36)

• Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni praised his call for peace and brotherhood:

  “A powerful call for peace, brotherhood and responsibility.” (10:28)

• Polish President Andrzej Duda drew parallels with the legacy of Pope John Paul II:

  “Deep bond of spiritual unity that exists between Poland and the papacy.” (10:28)

• Ursula von der Leyen, Head of the European Commission, hoped for wisdom and strength in his leadership:

  “Inspires the world through his commitment to peace and dialogue.” (10:28)

• Emmanuel Macron, President of France, called it a historic moment:

  “A historic moment... brings peace and hope.” (10:28)

• Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, expressed hopes for constructive dialogue:

  “Development of constructive dialogue between Russia and the Vatican.” (10:28)

• William Ruto, President of Kenya, highlighted his commitment to love, hope, and compassion:

  “May it uplift the poor, give voice to the voiceless, heal divisions, and steadfastly champion peace, justice and the sanctity of human dignity.” (10:28)

These reactions underscore the global significance of having a pope who embodies both American and Peruvian heritage, potentially bridging diverse cultural and geopolitical divides.

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The Conclave and Election Process

The conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV was notably the most diverse in recent history, featuring 133 cardinals from 70 different countries. After four rounds of voting, Cardinal Prevost secured 89 votes, surpassing the required two-thirds majority.

Mark Loewen reflected on the conclave's dynamics:

“He wasn't seen as one of the top two or three candidates among US journalists... he's at a sweet spot... not too young, not too old. It could be quite a lengthy papacy if Pope Leo XIV remains in good health.” (13:31)

The election was swift, with the conclave concluding on the second day. The anticipation among the faithful and global observers was palpable, leading to immediate celebrations upon the announcement.

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Personal Reactions and Future Outlook

Craig, an American observer present at St. Peter's Square, shared his emotional response:

“Completely overwhelmed... I can't stop crying. I'm overjoyed... to be American is a huge blessing.” (08:07)

Sarah Smith, BBC's North America editor, provided insights into Pope Leo XIV's relationship with American political figures:

“Cardinal Prevost had previously criticized Vice President J.D. Vance for using the Bible to justify immigration policies.” (09:24)

This dynamic suggests that Pope Leo XIV may continue to engage critically with political policies, leveraging his influential position to advocate for justice and compassion.

Looking ahead, Mark Loewen speculated on Pope Leo XIV's immediate plans:

“The papal study and on some Sunday at noon will be his first Angelus Prayer. It is a prayer that is usually given from the window of the papal study.” (14:40)

There is anticipation around his first Angelus Prayer and how he will shape his papacy in the coming days, balancing tradition with his vision for a peaceful and dialog-driven church.

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Conclusion

The election of Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost, marks a historic moment for the Catholic Church as it welcomes its first American pontiff. With a background that bridges North and South America, and a platform centered on peace and dialogue, Pope Leo XIV is poised to lead the global Catholic community through a period of significant geopolitical and social challenges. The global reactions reflect high expectations for his leadership to inspire unity, compassion, and proactive engagement in addressing the world's pressing issues.

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Produced by: Isabella Jewell
Mixed by: Rebecca Miller
Edited by: Karen Martin
Host: Julia McFarlane

For comments or feedback on this episode, please contact [e-mail].

Transcript

[Julia McFarlane]

You're listening to a special edition of the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service. Hello, I'm Julia McFarlane and we're recording this at 1830 hours GMT on Thursday 8th May.

[Dominique Mamberti]

Abemus Papa.

[Mark Loewen]

We have a pope and he's the.

[Julia McFarlane]

First American pontiff to lead the Roman Catholic Church. We'll explore the background of Robert Provost who becomes Pope Leo xiv. Let's start in the Vatican, where cardinals have elected the first American Pope to lead the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinal Robert Prevost from Chicago has taken the name Pope Leo xiv. This was the announcement in Latin by French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti.

[Dominique Mamberti]

Annunzio vobis gaudium manum abemus papam eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum Dominum Robertum Franciscum Sancte Romane ecclesia Cardinalema Prevost.

[Julia McFarlane]

And the cardinal said, we have a Pope. Shortly afterwards, the new Pope took to the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in front of more than 40,000 worshippers. Speaking in Italian, the newly elected Pope Leo XIV addressed the crowd, sharing a message of peace.

[Dominique Mamberti]

May the peace be with all of you. 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, may peace be with you.

[Julia McFarlane]

Pope Leo especially paid tribute to his predecessor, Francis. Our correspondent, Mark Lohan was in St. Peter's Square when the new pontiff emerged.

[Mark Loewen]

It was just an extraordinary moment because actually I was on air for the BBC World Service just saying that we hadn't got any smoke, so it suggested that the popes not reached a decision. And then suddenly, out of the blue, at about seven minutes past 6:00pm Italian time, this almighty cheer went up as the Sistine Chapel chimney started billowing smoke. And everybody realized it was white. And then the bells of St. Peter's Basilica chimed to confirm that it was indeed white smoke. And this square where I am now, which was packed with tens of thousands of people, just became so emotional. There were cheers, there was applause, there were people, little kids sitting on the shoulders of parents to watch this moment, that feeling that they were witnessing a historic moment for the Catholic church and its 1.4 billion followers. And then once again, expectation as we waited. And we turned our gaze from the Sistine Chapel chimney to a little bit to the left, to the balcony of the glorious 16th century St. Peter's Basilica, where the red curtains were closed and we waited for the next Pope to come out. And then as Cardinal Mamberti of France came out and announced him and announced the first ever American Pope, the first ever North American Pope, but a man who also has Peruvian nationality and has spent so much time in Latin America, in a sense, kind of uniting the global north and the global South. Just a moment of real ecstasy and jubilation here on St. Peter's Square.

Mark, you mentioned that, that people feel like there is a sense of history and a historic new papacy in many ways. You mentioned he's the first Pope from America. But this has also been the most diverse Conclave in many years. We're seeing pictures of people around the world carrying flags. There have never been so many cardinals from countries around the world as there has been in the Conclave this week.

Indeed, it's the biggest ever conclave with 133 cardinals and the most geographically diverse with cardinals from 70 different countries. So many of us thought that this could drag on for another day or two, possibly into Friday or even the week, or not Saturday, because if it had been inconclusive at the end of Friday, they would have retired for a day of prayer on Saturday. But that's all past history now, because we know that it was on the second day of the Conclave that the cardinal electors found their man. They reached 89 votes, a two thirds majority in the cardinal electors, and they chose Robert Francis Prevost. He was born in Chicago, but he was Bishop of Chiclayu in Peru and spent a lot of his time in Peru. So as I say, you know, he's got that kind of Latin American feel to him as well. A man who I think many people feel will kind of be a continuity from Pope Francis in terms of his views. He is seen as a reformer to a large extent. He's very close to late. Pope Francis views on the environment, his outreach to the poor and to migrants. And that was really a theme of his inaugural address here on St. Peter's Square. As he came out to the cheers and the delight of the tens of thousands of people here, he talks about the word that really was most often in his speech was pe. And that's so important, of course, in the world in which we live at the moment, with wars raging in Gaza and Ukraine and in parts of Africa and elsewhere. This is a Pope who clearly will want his papal message, his first papal message, to be defined by peace, by humility, by dialogue, talking about the need to walk together to build a church of dialogue. He broke into Spanish at one point and made a reference, a shout out to Chiclayu, the city of which he was bishop in Peru. That got a lot of cheers, of course, from the Spanish speaking people here on St. Peter's Square. So now we have a 267th Pope and it is, yeah, a very, very historic moment.

[Julia McFarlane]

And that was our correspondent Mark Loewen among the crowds in St. Peter's Square. So how did the day unfold? The Conclave is an ancient process which follows centuries old conventions. This is the moment. White smoke appeared from a chimney in the roof of the Sistine chapel shortly after 06:00, Italy time, signalling the election of the new Pontiff. Tens of thousands of worshippers in St. Peter's Square broke into applause at the sight of the smoke and waved flags as they watched it billowing across the blue sky of Rome. And the bells of St. Peter's Basilica rang out. Just over an hour later, the name of the new Pope was announced. So how did the news go down in St. Peter's Square? Craig is from America and was watching when Pope Leo XIV emerged. He says he could barely contain his emotions.

[Craig]

Completely overwhelmed. Completely overwhelmed. Completely overwhelmed. I'm not. I can't stop crying. I'm overjoyed, I'm shaking, I'm filled with adrenaline. I was not expecting, I figured I just expected to be a French or Italian pope. So to be American is a huge blessing.

[Julia McFarlane]

The fact that the cardinals chose Robert Prevost, making him the first American pontiff, has surprised the world. Our North America editor, Sarah Smith has this reaction from Washington D.C. we saw.

[Sarah Smith]

Donald Trump, the president, congratulating him, saying that it's an honour to realize that he will be the first American Pope. What excitement, what a great honor for our country, he said and mentioned that he looked forward to meeting Pope Leo xiv. So Donald Trump is celebrating what I think a lot of Catholics here would think. Very, very significant moment, the first American Pope. Something of a surprise because Americans were always considered to be at a significant disadvantage and very unlikely to be chosen as the new Pontiff. But. But now that we have an American one, I imagine there will be great celebrating here in America.

[Julia McFarlane]

And what was, or do we know anything about Cardinal Prevost's relationship with the members of the American government or with Donald Trump or with J.D. vance, the vice president?

[Sarah Smith]

Well, interesting. J.D. vance, of course, is a devout Catholic who quite often talks about his faith when he's talking about politics. But Cardinal Prost, as he was at the time has been on social media criticizing the vice president directly. When he was using the Bible to back up Trump administration immigration policies, for instance, he was rebuked and criticized by the cardinal for that. So he's somebody who certainly in his previous role was more than happy to see speak out when he saw the administration doing something he didn't agree with, especially when using Christian teachings to try and justify their policies. So it'd be very, very interesting to see if he continues in that vein, because of course, as the first American pope, criticism of what the administration is doing would be that much louder, land that bit harder here in America as a result of him having been chosen.

[Julia McFarlane]

Our North America editor Sarah Smith, speaking to Mariam Mushiri. So how are leaders across the world reacting? Our Europe regional editor Danny Eberhard explains.

[Danny Eberhard]

We'Ve heard the congratulations from President Trump. There's also been an excited reaction in Peru. Pope Leo XIV spent a long time in Peru. He was the bishop of Chicolayo and he's actually also a naturalized Peruvian. So the Peruvian press has been making a fuss of the fact that he's also the first Peruvian pope as well as the first American. And from European leaders, we've heard from Giorgio Meloni, the Italian prime minister, she says. In a time marked by conflict and unrest, his words from the Loggia della Benedizione, which is the balcony overlooking St Peter's Square, are a powerful call for peace, brotherhood and responsibility, a spiritual legacy that follows the path traced by Pope Francis and that Italy looks at with respect and hope. Other European leaders, such as the Polish president Andrzej Duda, Poland, obviously a very big Catholic nation, has called it a deeply moving moment. He makes reference to Pope John Paul ii, who was Polish, and the deep bond of spiritual unity that exists between Poland and the papacy. And he says, please accept the assurance of the readiness of the Republic of Poland's to further strengthen these unique bonds in the name of shared values, responsibility for the common good and strengthening of peace in the world. Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, says that she hopes that Leo XIV's papacy is guided by wisdom and strength as he leads the Catholic community and inspires the world through his commitment to peace and dialogue. Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, has called it a historic moment and and has addressed a fraternal message to him and Catholics so that the pontificate brings peace and hope. Elsewhere we've heard from President Vladimir Putin, who has also sent his congratulations. He hopes for the development of constructive dialogue between Russia and the Vatican under the new pontiff, obviously under Pope Francis, there was a very difficult relationship because Pope Francis didn't name Russia and condemn Russia by name for the war in Ukraine, but made it very clear that he opposed that war. And in Africa, there's also been some response. There was obviously talk before the election of Leo XIV that perhaps an African may become pope. So President William Ruto of Kenya has sent his congratulations. And to give you a flavor of that, he says, may your papacy be a shining light of love, hope and compassion. May it uplift the poor, give voice to the voiceless, heal divisions, and steadfastly championed peace, justice and the sanctity of human dignity around the world.

[Julia McFarlane]

Danny Eberhard, so it took cardinals just four rounds of votes to elect Robert Prevost as the first American pope to lead the Roman Catholic Church. And as Our correspondent in St Peter's Square, Mark Loewen explains, the announcement came as quite a surprise.

[Mark Loewen]

He wasn't seen as one of the top two or three candidates among US journalists, Julia, but he was thought of pappabile, as the Italians say, which is the word meaning a possible pope. And so luckily we had a little profile of him among all the cardinals whom we had profiled. He's 69. And yeah, in cardinal terms, that is relatively young to be chosen as pope. I mean, Francis was 76 when he was chosen in 2013. So, you know, towards the end of the 60s, I mean, he's at that kind of sweet spot, I suppose, for cardinals where he's not too young, not too old. It could be quite a lengthy papacy if Pope Leo XIV remains in good health. So, you know, the cardinals had to decide who they wanted and potentially for.

The long haul, I can hazard a guess at what is the number one Google search this evening around the world as everyone frantically tries to find out more information about who is leading 1.4 billion Catholics around the world. Mark, what will this new pope be doing this evening and in the coming days? I imagine he won't be able to visit his favorite restaurant in Rome for quite some time.

I doubt it. I mean, the lights are on in St. Peter's Basilica now and the curtains are drawn. So I'm sure he is resting, whether it be in the rooms there on the top of the basilica or whether he is resting in the papal study and on some Sunday at noon will be his first Angelus Prayer. That is the prayer that the popes give to the audience here on St. Peter's Square every Sunday. It is a prayer that is usually given from the window of the papal study. So that is what we're expecting on Sunday. What he has in plan for tomorrow, we don't know. Maybe a day of rest after this intense moment. The concept, we will never know exactly what happened and how many votes he got because of course, it's such a secretive process. But at least we know that he was elected after the fourth vote, getting the necessary 2/3 majority, 89 votes among the cardinal electors, 133 of them deciding. It was time for the first time for an American Pope.

[Julia McFarlane]

Mark Loewen in the Vatican for us. And that's all from us for now. But there will be a new edition of the Global News Podcast later. If you want to comment on this podcast or the topics covered in it, you can send us an email. The address is globalpodcastbc.co.uk. this edition was mixed by Rebecca Miller and the producer was Isabella Jewell. The editor is Karen Martin. I'm Julia McFarlane. Until next time.

[Mark Loewen]

Goodbye.