Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago was chosen by the College of Cardinals to be the new pope of the Catholic Church, making him the first American pope in the Church’s 2,000-year history. The Chicago native chose the papal name Leo XIV. White smoke appeared above the Sistine Chapel at approximately 6:08 p.m. Rome time, followed by the chiming of the Vatican’s bells, which confirmed for the faithful that a new successor to the See of St. Peter the Apostle was indeed chosen.
Here is an English translation of the full transcript of Pope Leo XIV’s first address:
Peace be with all of you! Dearest brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who gave His life for God’s flock.
I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families, and all people, wherever they are, all of the people, all over the earth.
Peace be with you!
This is the peace of the Risen Christ, an unarmed peace and a disarming peace, humble and persevering. It comes from God, God who loves us all unconditionally. We still have in our ears that weak, but always courageous voice of Pope Francis as he blessed Rome!
The Pope who blessed Rome, gave his blessing to the world, to the entire world, that Easter morning. Allow me to follow up on that same blessing: God loves us, God loves you all, and evil will not prevail!
We are all in the hands of God.
Therefore, without fear, united hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we move forward. We are disciples of Christ.
Christ precedes us. The world needs His light. Humanity needs Him as the bridge to allows it to be reached by God and by His love.
Help us, too, and help each other to build bridges, with dialogue, with meetings, uniting us all to be one people, always in peace. Thank you, Pope Francis! I also want to thank all my brother cardinals who have chosen me to be Peter’s Successor, and to walk together with you, as a united Church always seeking peace, justice, always seeking to work as men and women who are faithful to Jesus Christ, without fear, to proclaim the Gospel, to be missionaries.
I am a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian, who said: “with you I am a Christian and for you I am a bishop.” In this sense, we can all walk together towards that homeland that God has prepared for us.
To the Church of Rome, a special greeting! We must seek together how to be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges, dialogue, always open to receive like this square with its open arms, all, all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, and love.
And if you allow me a word, a greeting to all and especially to my beloved diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru, where a faithful people accompanied their bishop, shared their faith and gave so, so much to continue being a Church that is faithful to Jesus Christ.
To all of you, brothers and sisters of Rome, of Italy, of the whole world, we want to be a Church of the Synod, a Church that walks, a Church that always seeks peace, that always seeks charity, that always seeks to be close, especially to those who suffer.
Today is the day of the Supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii. Our Mother Mary always wants to walk with us, to be close, to help us with her intercession and her love. So, I would like to pray together with you. Let us pray together for this new mission, for the whole Church, for peace in the world and let us also ask Mary, our Mother, for this special grace.
[Began the recitation of the Hail Mary in Latin.]
(Read more from “Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago Becomes First American Pope” HERE)
