Brussels 08.05.2025 The EU leaders were among the first to congratulate Pope Leo XIV with his election.
Habemus Papam.
Welcome, Pope Leo XIV.
May your leadership of the Catholic Church be a beacon of hope to all the faithful.
And that your wisdom and strength continue to inspire the world as we work towards building bridges, unity and peace 🇪🇺🇻🇦 pic.twitter.com/FsMYs69RcD
— Roberta Metsola (@EP_President) May 8, 2025
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The President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, and the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen were reacting swiftly to the news:
We sincerely congratulate His Holiness Leo XIV on his election as Pope and head of the Catholic Church.
We wish that his pontificate be guided by wisdom and strength, as he leads the Catholic community and inspires the world through his commitment to peace and dialogue ↓
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 8, 2025
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World leaders welcomed the election of Robert Francis Prevost as the next leader of the Catholic church under name of Leo XIV. Pope Leo XIV greeted the world for the first time on Thursday with the words “Peace be with you all.”
The 69-year-old Pope, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was elected the first Pope from the United States. A native of Chicago, Leo spoke in Italian from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, addressing the hundreds of thousands of people waiting in the square and streets below.
“Peace be with you all. Dearest brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the risen Christ, the Good Shepherd, who has given his life for God’s flock. I too would like that this greeting of peace enters into your heart, reaching your families, and all people, wherever they are, to all peoples, to all the earth. Peace be with you,” Leo said in his opening lines.
The identity of the new pope was announced just over an hour after white smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. The cardinal electors watched from balconies flanking the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica as Cardinal Dominique Mamberti declared in Latin: “Habemus papam!”
However there are also pulpable concerns about new Pope’s inclination to the agenda of the U.S. Democrats, and his vivid opposition to President’s Trump views on many issues.
This just keeps getting worse and worse.
Pope Leo XIV retweeted this. pic.twitter.com/Ev1riVSYIn
— Joey Mannarino 🇺🇸 (@JoeyMannarinoUS) May 8, 2025
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Previously being a cardinal Robert Prevost, the incumbent Pope vividly criticised President Trump’s migration policy.
The last post on X by Cardinal Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, was a retweet calling the deportation of illegal migrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia an “illicit deportation of a U.S. resident.”
The retweet also said: “do you now see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed?” pic.twitter.com/1B3pYcTqV4
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) May 8, 2025
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