The world welcomes new Pope. What is Leo XIV known for?

The world welcomes the new Pope. On May 18th, his enthronement took place, marking his official accession to the papal throne. In accordance with tradition, the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church was presented with the papal regalia—namely, the Fisherman's Ring (also known as the papal ring) and the Pallium—a woolen band embroidered with crosses. The inaugural Mass at the Vatican drew approximately 250,000 guests from 156 countries.

On May 8th, the conclave elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevo as the new Bishop of Rome. Prior to his election, the Pope

had already held his first audience with cardinals. He explained that he chose the name Leo XIV in honor of Leo XIII, who championed workers' rights during the industrial age, emphasizing the necessity of a new social doctrine in response to the digital revolution. Who is this 267th Pope?

The conclave elected the Pope on its fourth attempt, and the Catholic Church gained a new shepherd in record time.

From the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, white smoke billowed, signaling the election of the new pontiff. Later, it was announced that Cardinal Robert Prevo had become Pope Leo XIV. A native of Chicago, he is the first American in history to hold the papal office. He adopted the name Leo XIV. Notably, in his home state of Illinois, Prevo was registered as a Republican voter.

Donald Trump was among the first to congratulate him: "Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevo, who has just been elected Pope. It’s such an honor to realize that he is the first American pope. What excitement and a great honor for our country! I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. This will be a truly significant moment!"

It is worth noting that before his election, Prevo was known solely as a religious figure, not as a politician or activist, and little is known about his worldview. However, during his blessing of the faithful, he deliberately turned away from the rainbow flag.

The 69-year-old pontiff is a former missionary to Peru. Just two months before his death, Pope Francis elevated him to the rank of Cardinal-Episcopate, the highest among cardinals. He is considered a moderate figure, spiritually close to the late Pope Francis, yet more reserved in public gestures.

In his first address, Leo XIV called for building bridges of dialogue to foster peace. The pontiff appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and urged world powers "to cease fighting."

Similar messages were echoed during his press conference: "Peace begins with each of us—how we view others, listen to others, speak about others. In this sense, our communication is of utmost importance. We must say no to a war of words and images. We must reject the paradigm of war."

International media closely followed the new pope’s first sermon. For instance, Axios noted that his appeals echoed those of his predecessor. Le Figaro highlighted that during his first homily in the Sistine Chapel, the new pontiff impressed with his depth and simplicity. The Guardian added that he was dressed in a plain white cassock without the traditional red cloak; instead of reciting the Latin prayer "Queen of Heaven," he sang it. A Spanish TV channel, for some reason, illustrated the story of the papal election with a fight scene featuring a boss-like pope from the game "Dark Souls III."

Social media users noted another detail: the new Pope bears a resemblance to one of the main antagonists from "Star Wars."

In his first address to the cardinals, Pope Leo XIV stated that artificial intelligence is one of humanity’s greatest challenges.