Pope Leo once posted a letter from Peru’s Catholic leaders criticizing U.S. immigration tactics:
“In our Latin American region… we have experience dealing with migration.”
When he first appeared as Pope, Leo XIV addressed the crowd in Spanish and Italian—not English. Chants of “Leon, Leon” filled St. Peter’s Square as people reacted to the shock of an American pope.
Even so, Trump congratulated him:
“What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country.”
Despite being seen as a quiet reformer, Leo XIV is expected to carry on Pope Francis’s mission of peace and outreach. In his first words as pope, he said,
“Peace be with you,” promoting communication and missionary evangelization.
