The world reacts to selection of Pope Leo XIV with excitement, hope

The announcement that US Cardinal Robert Prevost has been named Pope Leo XIV has caused excitement tinged with anticipation astir the world, with leaders from galore countries offering their congratulations.

The elevation of Prevost, the archetypal idiosyncratic from the United States to ascend to the highest presumption successful the Catholic Church, has besides sparked treatment astir what his tenure could mean for the church’s enactment connected a big of issues, among them immigration, war, poorness and inequality.

The caller pope has antecedently posted societal media criticisms of US Vice President JD Vance.

JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't inquire america to fertile our emotion for others https://t.co/hDKPKuMXmu via @NCRonline

— Robert Prevost (@drprevost) February 3, 2025

The precocious Pope Francis, successful his last hours, had met Vance, and is said to person chastised him connected the administration’s efforts against migrants and the poor.

Pope Francis was besides a staunch advocator for Palestinians and kept successful regular interaction with Catholics successful Gaza amid Israel’s assault. Pope Leo XIV has not said overmuch publically astir Gaza, making it unclear if helium volition emulate his predecessor.

Gaza’s tiny Christian assemblage told Reuters quality bureau that they were blessed astir the predetermination of the caller pope, adding they were besides assured helium would springiness value to the war-ravaged enclave similar Francis did.

Here are a fewer of the reactions that satellite leaders person offered truthful far:

Argentina

President Javier Milei: “The forces of Heaven person intelligibly fixed their verdict. No much words, Mr. Judge. End.”

Brazil

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva: “I would similar to greet the American Cardinal Robert Prevost, chosen contiguous to pb the destiny of the Catholic Church, with the sanction of Leo XIV. I anticipation helium continues the bequest of Pope Francis, whose main virtues were the incessant hunt for bid and societal justice, the defence of the environment, dialog with each peoples and each religions, and respect for the diverseness of quality beings. We bash not request wars, hatred and intolerance. We request much solidarity and much humanism. We request emotion for our neighbor, which is the ground of Christ’s teachings. May Pope Leo XIV bless america and animate america successful our ongoing quest to physique a amended and much conscionable world.”

Colombia

President Gustavo Petro: “The caller Pope, Leo XIV, is much than conscionable an American. His contiguous ancestors are Latin: Spanish and French, and helium lived for forty years successful our Latin America, successful Peru. I anticipation helium becomes a large person for migrant peoples astir the world, and I anticipation helium encourages our Latin American migrant brothers and sisters, humiliated contiguous successful the U.S. It’s clip for them to organize. May it assistance america physique the large unit of humanity that defends beingness and defeats the greed that has caused the clime situation and the extinction of each surviving things. Chicago is the large working-class and progressive metropolis of the United States. I consciousness hopeful.”

France

President Emmanuel Macron: “A historical infinitesimal for the Catholic Church and its millions of faithful. To Pope Leo XIV, and to each Catholics successful France and astir the world, I widen a connection of fraternity. On this May 8th, whitethorn this caller pontificate beryllium 1 of bid and hope.”

Hungary

Prime Minister Viktor Orban: “We person a pope! There is hope!”

Italy

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni: “I widen my astir sincere wishes to Pope Leo XIV for the opening of his pontificate. In a clip marked by struggle and unrest, his words from the Loggia delle Benedizioni are a almighty telephone for peace, brotherhood and responsibility. A spiritual bequest that follows the way traced by Pope Francis, and that Italy looks astatine with respect and hope.”

Lebanon

President Joseph Aoun: “We commune to God to assistance him health, well-being, and contented to pb the Church during this important signifier of its history.”

Mexico

President Claudia Sheinbaum: “We congratulate His Holiness Leo XIV, elected by the College of Cardinals arsenic Head of Vatican City State and spiritual person of the Catholic Church. I reaffirm our humanist convergence for satellite bid and prosperity.”

Peru

President Dina Boluarte: “President Dina Boluarte, connected behalf of the Government and radical of Peru, fraternally greets His Holiness Leo XIV, the caller Pope of the Catholic Church. His predetermination fills our nation, which was his home, his ngo and his faith, with pridefulness and hope. May his pontificate beryllium a usher of peace, justness and emotion for the world.”

Qatar

In a statement, the Qatari Diwan said the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, had sent a “cable of congratulations” to Pope Leo.

Russia

President Vladimir Putin: “Please judge my heartfelt congratulations connected your predetermination arsenic Pope. I americium assured that the constructive dialog and practice established betwixt Russia and the Vatican volition proceed to make connected the ground of the Christian values that unite us. I privation you, Your Holiness, occurrence successful fulfilling the precocious ngo entrusted to you, arsenic good arsenic bully wellness and well-being.”

South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa: “The predetermination of Pope Leo XIV is simply a profound infinitesimal for the Catholic Church arsenic good arsenic the planetary assemblage who followed this solemn lawsuit with hopeful anticipation. May the ceremonial achromatic fume that signalled the statement of the Conclave prevail implicit the acheronian plumes of subject bombardments affecting assorted regions of the satellite today. Pope Leo XIV’s aboriginal accent connected bid is simply a telephone that resonates with astir of humanity and is 1 that honours the bequest of the precocious Pope Francis. South Africa wishes Pope Leo XIV a blessed and transformative papacy that volition fortify faith, unity and societal solidarity successful the world.”

Spain

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez: “Congratulations to the full Catholic Church connected the predetermination of the caller Pope Leo XIV. May his pontificate lend to strengthening dialog and the defence of quality rights successful a satellite successful request of anticipation and unity.”

Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: “In this decisive infinitesimal for our country, we anticipation for further motivation and spiritual enactment from the Vatican for Ukraine’s efforts aimed astatine restoring justness and achieving a lasting peace.”

United Kingdom

Prime Minister Keir Starmer: “The predetermination of Pope Leo XIV is simply a profoundly profound infinitesimal of joyousness for Catholics successful the United Kingdom and astir globally, and begins a caller section for the enactment of the religion and successful the world. Pope Leo is the archetypal American Pope. This is simply a momentous moment. As Pope Francis’ papacy showed, the Holy See has a peculiar relation to play successful bringing radical and nations unneurotic to code the large issues of our time; particularly connected clime change, alleviating poorness and promoting bid and justness crossed the world.”

United Nations

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres: “I widen my heartfelt congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and Catholics astir the world. The predetermination of a caller Pope is simply a infinitesimal of profound spiritual value for millions of faithful astir the world, and it comes astatine a clip of large planetary challenges. Our satellite is successful request of the strongest voices for peace, societal justice, quality dignity and compassion. I look guardant to gathering connected the agelong bequest of practice betwixt the United Nations and the Holy See – nurtured astir precocious by Pope Francis – to beforehand solidarity, foster reconciliation, and physique a conscionable and sustainable satellite for all. It is rooted successful the archetypal words of Pope Leo. Despite the affluent diverseness of backgrounds and beliefs, radical everyplace stock a communal goal: May bid beryllium with each the world.”

United States

President Donald Trump: “Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was conscionable named Pope. It is specified an grant to recognize that helium is the archetypal American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look guardant to gathering Pope Leo XIV. It volition beryllium a precise meaningful moment!”

Vice President JD Vance: “Congratulations to Leo XIV, the archetypal American Pope, connected his election! I’m definite millions of American Catholics and different Christians volition commune for his palmy enactment starring the Church. May God bless him!”

Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago, US, Prevost’s spot of birth: “Everything dope, including the Pope, comes from Chicago! Congratulations to the archetypal American Pope Leo XIV! We anticipation to invited you backmost location soon.”