The new American Pope was received a very American reception in Vatican City.
“America! America! America!” chanted a noisy group of young clergymen dressed in long black cassocks, pogoing in the center of St. Peter’s Square.
The square is often a calm and prayer place – after the Vatican Conclave made Cardinal Robert Francis Prevast the next pope, feeling like a sporting event or a rock concert on Thursday, making him the first American-born head of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Americans in the Vatican expressed joy, pride, surprise and amazed surprise.
“I was shocked,” said 27-year-old Joe Brodur, a butler from Providence, Rhode Island. “I’m so happy, that’s all I can say.”
Sean Sicolla on the second left and Cole Wendling of the Texas American Center, celebrated in the Vatican City after Pope Leo XIV was announced on Thursday. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
In fact, the first emotion swept through this part of the square was confusion.
Cardinal Dominique Manberti has published the results in Latin. The 40,000 people gathered in the square got the “Habemus Papam” bit (we have a Pope). However, the actual name was swallowed up by din.
“Who did they say?” cried out. “Did he say Robert Sarah?” I wondered who else, mentioning Guinea’s cardinal, which is common in bookmakers.
Soon the name Prevost began to wavy through the crowd.
“èl’americano,” said the Italian.
Most Americans felt a rush of pride, but few people actually heard of the new Pope.
“I’m excited,” said Alec Maddox, a consultant who lives in San Diego, but he and his two brothers, Tommy, 30, and Jack, 28, also admitted they don’t know much about the new Pope Leo XIII.
Brothers Tommy, Jack and Alec Maddox, from across the nation, will celebrate Pope Leo XIV’s election on St. Peter’s Square on Thursday. (Alexander Smith/NBC News)
“I want someone who is doctrinally oriented and doesn’t want to change that doctrine,” Tommy Maddox said. It hints at the more traditional and conservative wings of Catholicism.
Like his brother, Tommy Maddox was originally from Utah. He holds an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania. “They’re the ones who are based in Georgia and are about to leave the Army to train to become an architect,” said Jack Maddox, 28, who is based in Georgia.
They learn about the Pope, who, like his predecessor, previously demonstrated to support an idyllic approach to doctrinal doctrine.
Rebecca Taviani, 48, loves the sounds of what she hears about Pope Leo. However, Taviani, a native of New Jersey who currently lives in Rome, is “disappointing” by the decision, agreeing with years of belief within the Vatican, agreeing that the United States holds too much power.
“I don’t like the message it sends to the world,” said Tabiani, who works in forestry. “I think it should have gone elsewhere.” Because “As an American living abroad, I am ashamed of what is happening at home right now.”
Others expressed a more balanced view.
People wait for smoke signalling the results of the Cardinals vote at St. Peter’s Square on Thursday on the second day of the Vatican Conclave. (Filippo Monteforte/AFP -Getty Images) People wait for the smoke to signal the results. (Gabriel Bouys/AFP -Getty Images)
“I was certainly surprised – he wasn’t on my list,” said Matthew Rafferty, 39, director of the Methodist Ecumenical Office in Rome. Originally from Crestline, Ohio, he is responsible for the relationship between Protestant organizations and the Catholic Church. “I think this choice probably shows that there have been some compromises between the Cardinals.”
The joy of the Americans seemed to be felt by most people in the square, regardless of nationality. Whether they were people carrying a huge Lebanese flag, they were Brazilian clergymen who made signs of peace with their hands, riding on the shoulders of friends covered in Brazilian flags.
Thousands of miles of television news cameras to the west of New York City line the sidewalk in front of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the iconic Midtown Manhattan Catholic Church.
Alura Marini, 60, was at St. Patrick’s Mass when the new Pope was announced. Marini said the churches began to play “starspangled banners” and urge the church people to erupt.
“I said: ‘Wow!” I put my hand on my heart and said, ‘Is the new Pope American?’ ” Marini said.
Marini said Leo wanted to emulate the late Pope Francis, popular among progressive Catholic New Yorkers.
“I hope the Pope will hug everyone, but there is no discrimination,” she said. “I’ll accept everyone so they can come.”
Maria Andrade, 58, said she has seen more events over the past three to four years at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, her church that targeted young Catholics. She said Leo’s choices give her faith that the trends she has seen in recent years continue.
The Americans responded after newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevast, to speak for the first time to the crowd on the main central lodgee balcony of St. Peter’s Cathedral. (Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP -Getty Images)
“I’m watching revivals. In New York City, I’m watching people who want faith,” she said. “This may be a really good message for young people, and for those looking for spiritual guidance, to have a pope from America.”
Rezen Hudson, 78, who was visiting a New York relative from Charleston, South Carolina, said she was optimistic too.
“Many of those people fell on the roadside due to pedophilia that was happening with the priest,” she said. “Hopefully we took care of a lot of that, but it left a big black mark in the hearts of many young Catholics.”
“Francis did a lot to bring those people back to the church. I hope Pope Leo XIV will do more to get them back,” she added.
Alexander Smith reported from the Vatican City of New York City, Matthew Lavietes.
Pope Leo XIV became the leader of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025, and became the first pope to be born in the United States. This is what you need to know.
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