Conclave live: First US pope says church must 'build bridges' in balcony address - as world leaders send their congratulations

Sky News

08-05-2025

TIME magazine reveals new cover showing Pope Leo XIV
TIME magazine has revealed its new cover showing first US Pope Leo XIV.
The new pontiff is a dual citizen of the US and Peru, where he first served as a missionary and then as an archbishop.
That makes him the first pope from each country.
New pope 'a source of pride' for Peruvians
Today's election of Pope Leo XIV, an American who spent time in Peru, has been hailed by faithful in the Latin American nation.
The new pontiff is a dual citizen of the US and Peru, where he first served as a missionary and then as an archbishop.
In Peru's capital, Lima, the bells of the cathedral rang out after the news was announced.
"For us Peruvians, it is a source of pride that this is a pope who represents our country," said elementary school teacher Isabel Panez, who was near the cathedral when the identity of the new pope was announced.
"We would like him to visit us here in Peru."
Reverend Edinson Farfan, bishop of Chiclayo, said: "He will be very sensitive to the social doctrine of the Church and will undoubtedly be attentive to the signs of the times."
'We believe the US needs hope'
Sky's Europe correspondent Siobhan Robbins was in St Peter's Square when the new pope emerged.
She said the scenes were "amazing" and adds: "The whole crowd roared when they saw white smoke and the excitement only built from there."
US reverend Dr Elizabeth Serrano, who was also there when the historic moment unfolded, told Robbins it was "incredible and unexpected".
"We believe the US needs hope and I feel this new pope will bring hope to the US," she added.
New pope 'will certainly speak out for marginalised and poor'
Ruth Gledhill, an assistant editor at the Catholic journal, The Tablet, has said Pope Leo XIV is definitely not a "compromise candidate".
"He's already been outspoken about what's happening in America at the moment on the X account that he was running very actively before the conclave, before the election," he said.
"And he is really a man of huge principle. He is a bridge builder, so I'm not sure that he will be really conflict-oriented in terms of going up against people. He will try to build bridges.
"But he will certainly speak out in the tradition of Pope Francis for the marginalised, the poor and the people on the fringes of society."
JD Vance welcomes first American pope
JD Vance, who was baptised Catholic in 2019 and notably met Pope Francis in the days before his death, has hailed the news about the new pontiff.
Here is what he wrote on X...
Meloni speaks of pope's 'spiritual authority'
In a letter to Pope Leo XIV, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni spoke of the new pontiff's "spiritual and moral authority".
She said: "Italians will look to you as a guide and point of reference, recognizing in the Pope and the Church that spiritual and moral authority that derives from its inexhaustible message of love, charity and hope, which flows from the Word of God."
She joins a number of political and religious leaders tonight who have congratulated the new pope who has become the first American head of the Catholic Church.
Pope Leo is 'a man of peace'
The archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, has told Sky's Mark Austin he feels "encouraged and deeply hopeful" that with Pope Leo the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church will continue working together.
He said "today was a joyful and hopeful day for all Christian people" and while he did not know the new pope personally he was "moved" by what he heard Pope Leo say.
"His opening words were peace for the whole world," he said.
Asked what it could mean for the relationship between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church, Cottrell added: "We are on a journey of working and walking together.
"I feel encouraged and deeply hopeful that with Pope Leo that journey will continue.
"I loved his humility and humanity."
He added that Pope Leo came across as "a man of peace".
American pope might be in better position to deal with abuse scandal, newspaper editor says
There was a "long-standing rumour" that there would never be an American pope, says Charles Collins, managing editor of Crux, a Catholic publication.
"The fact that he's an American is very interesting," he told Sky News.
"The fact that he's an American means that he will have better access to really wealthy American Catholics to be able to help solve the financial crisis that's been hitting the Vatican.
"And I'm not going to say that played a role in his election, but it might have played a role in his election."
He also spoke about the abuse scandal that still rocks the Catholic Church.
"I think an American might be in a better position because, frankly, the United States government and the state governments have been making really strong actions against priestly paedophilia, and he's going to be very familiar with that...
"And he's in a position to get ahead of it in a lot of countries which haven't dealt with it yet."
Obama congratulates new US pope
Barack Obama has congratulated the first-ever US pope.
Earlier, Pope Leo XIV emerged onto the balcony of St Peter's Basilica as a packed St Peter's Square erupted in cheers and applause.
He was Cardinal Robert Prevost, from Chicago, and is fairly young for a Pope, at the age of 69.
Starmer: This is a momentous moment
Sir Keir Starmer has called the election of Pope Leo a "momentous moment".
He has also said he looks forward to meeting the new pontiff.
You can read Starmer's full statement on X here...