Pope Leo XIV Elected ^{CEFR B2}

On May 8 the Vatican confirmed the election of Robert Francis Prevost as pope after three unsuccessful ballots in the conclave; white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel to mark the choice. He took the name Pope Leo XIV. Pope Francis, Latin America’s first pope, led the Catholic Church from 2013 until his death on April 21, 2025.

Pope Leo XIV is a US citizen by birth and a naturalized Peruvian. Born in Chicago, he began his clerical work there before being sent to Peru, where he served for nearly forty years in northern cities. He was appointed bishop of Chiclayo by Pope Francis in 2015 and also acquired Peruvian nationality that year, making him eligible to vote in the 2026 presidential elections.

At St. Peter’s Square he interrupted his prepared remarks in Italian and spoke in Spanish, thanking his former diocese: "Quiero agradecer a todos aquellos, y de manera particular, a mi querida diócesis de Chiclayo en el Perú..." News and video from Chiclayo showed a strong emotional reaction. People in the seminary and other parts of the city received the news with joy.

Spanish television described parishioners as "abuzz" and remembered him as humble and close to young people. Reports showed a restaurant he often visited and his favourite table, where he could see the cathedral while eating the local dish "frito de chancho." Social media quickly produced memes about his dual nationality, and Pope-themed merchandise appeared fast in Lima’s Gamarra market. When journalist Gunter Rave told him people in Chiclayo were waiting, the pope replied, "¡Ah, ojale1!"