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Washington Post
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Can Pope Leo remain a U.S. citizen now that he's a foreign head of state?
Pope Leo XIV's election as the first U.S.-born leader of the Catholic Church elevated him to the extremely rare, and legally thorny, position of being an American citizen who now is also a foreign head of state. Born in Chicago as Robert Prevost in 1955, the new pope for the past decade has held dual citizenship in the U.S. and Peru, where he spent time as a missionary and bishop.
Free Malaysia Today
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Pope Leo urges unity for divided Catholic Church, vows not to be ‘autocrat'
Pope Leo XIV spent many years as a missionary in Peru and also has Peruvian citizenship. (AP pic) VATICAN CITY : Pope Leo XIV formally began his reign today by reaching out to conservatives who felt orphaned under his predecessor, calling for unity, vowing to preserve the Catholic Church's heritage and not rule like 'an autocrat'. After a first ride in the popemobile through an estimated crowd of up to 200,000 in St Peter's Square and surrounding streets, Leo was officially installed as the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church at an outdoor mass. Well-wishers waved US and Peruvian flags, with people from both countries claiming him as the first pope from their nations. Born in Chicago, the 69-year-old pontiff spent many years as a missionary in Peru and also has Peruvian citizenship. Robert Prevost, a relative unknown on the world stage who only became a cardinal two years ago, was elected pope on May 8 after a short conclave of cardinals that lasted barely 24 hours. He succeeded Francis, an Argentine, who died on April 21 after leading the Church for 12 often turbulent years during which he battled with traditionalists and championed the poor and marginalised. In his sermon, read in fluent Italian, Leo said that as leader of the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics, he would continue Francis' legacy on social issues such as combating poverty and protecting the environment. He vowed to face up to 'the questions, concerns and challenges of today's world' and, in a nod to conservatives, he promised to preserve 'the rich heritage of the Christian faith', repeatedly calling for unity. Crowds chanted 'Viva il Papa' (Long Live the Pope) and 'Papa Leone', his name in Italian, as he waved from the open-topped popemobile ahead of his inaugural Mass, which was attended by dozens of world leaders. US vice-president JD Vance, a Catholic convert who clashed with Francis over the White House's hardline immigration policies, led a US delegation alongside secretary of state Marco Rubio, who is also Catholic. Vance briefly shook hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the start of the ceremony. The two men last met in February in the White House, when they clashed fiercely in front of the world's media. Zelensky and Leo were to have a private meeting later today, while Vance was expected to see the pope tomorrow. In a brief appeal at the end of the mass, Leo addressed several global conflicts. He said Ukraine was being 'martyred', a phrase often used by Francis, and called for a 'just and lasting peace' there. He also mentioned the humanitarian situation in Gaza, saying people in the Palestinian enclave were being 'reduced to starvation'. Among those in the crowds today were many pilgrims from the US and Peru. Dominic Venditti, from Seattle, said he was 'extremely excited' by the new pope. 'I like how emotional and kind he is,' he said. 'I love his background.' Appeal for unity An estimated crowd of up to 200,000 gathered in St Peter's Square today. (AP pic) Since becoming pope, Leo has already signalled some key priorities for his papacy, including a warning about the dangers posed by artificial intelligence and the importance of bringing peace to the world and to the church itself. Francis' papacy left a divided church, with conservatives accusing him of sowing confusion, particularly with his extemporaneous remarks on issues of sexual morality such as same-sex unions. Saying he was taking up his mission 'with fear and trembling', Leo used the words 'unity' or 'united' seven times today and the word 'harmony' four times. 'It is never a question of capturing others by force, by religious propaganda or by means of power. Instead, it is always and only a question of loving, as Jesus did,' he said, in apparent reference to a war of words between Catholics who define themselves as conservative or progressive. Conservatives also accused Francis of ruling in a heavy-handed way and lamented that he belittled their concerns and did not consult widely before making decisions. Referring to St Peter, the 1st century Christian apostle from whom popes derive their authority, Leo said: 'Peter must shepherd the flock without ever yielding to the temptation to be an autocrat, lording it over those entrusted to him. On the contrary, he is called to serve the faith of his brothers and sisters, and to walk alongside them.' Many world leaders attended the ceremony, including the presidents of Israel, Peru and Nigeria, the prime ministers of Italy, Canada and Australia, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. European royals also took their place in the VIP seats near the main altar, including Spanish King Felipe and Queen Letizia. Leo shook many of their hands at the end of the ceremony, and hugged his brother Louis, who had travelled from Florida. As part of the ceremony, Leo received two symbolic items: a liturgical vestment known as a pallium, a sash of lambswool representing his role as a shepherd, and the 'fisherman's ring', recalling St Peter, who was a fisherman. The ceremonial gold signet ring is specially cast for each new pope and can be used by Leo to seal documents, although this purpose has fallen out of use in modern times. It shows St Peter holding the keys to heaven and will be broken after his death or resignation.
Washington Post
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Pope Leo XIV to be formally installed on Sunday
VATICAN CITY — The Catholic church is preparing to inaugurate its 267th pontiff Sunday in an incense-laced rite heralding the start of a novel papacy — one filled by a White Sox fan and former missionary whose dual citizenship of the United States and Peru make him the first American and second Latin American to lead the world's largest Christian faith.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Watch live: Pope Leo XIV's papal inauguration
The Brief Pope Leo XIV's inaugural mass will be held Sunday in St. Peter's Square, following traditions set by Pope Francis in 2013. The new pope, a Chicago-born former missionary in Peru, is the first American to lead the Catholic Church. He has pledged to promote peace in global conflict zones and highlight the traditions of eastern rite churches. VATICAN CITY - The inauguration of Pope Leo XIV is set to begin on Sunday. According to Vatican News, the inaugural mass will be held in St. Peter's Square, 10 a.m. local time. It's expected to last about 90 minutes. Dig deeper The Vatican hasn't released too many details on what the mass will entail, but it's expected to be similar to the inaugural mass of Pope Francis in 2013. RELATED: How to watch Pope Leo's inauguration Mass According to TIME, the lengthy service traditionally starts with a visit to St. Peter's tomb inside the Basilica, where deacons retrieve two items: the fisherman's ring and the pallium, a vestment worn by the pope. Pope Francis also gathered with nine other Catholic Church leaders at the Basilica to pray, according to the outlet. A procession soon entered St. Peter's Square, accompanied by the chant "Laudes Regiae," also known as "Christus vincit," the Latin phrase meaning "Praise to the king" or "Christ conquers." RELATED: Pope Leo XIV's first address: Full text It's expected that after Pope Leo XIV holds his own version of the procession, he will be presented with the pallium and the ring as a symbol of his taking of the papacy. LiveNOW from FOX will stream live coverage of the mass starting at 3 a.m. ET, as well as provide a full replay of the entire service starting at 9 a.m. ET. Both will run uninterrupted. You can watch LiveNOW from FOX here on this website. You can also watch it for free wherever you stream, from your TV to your phone to your tablet. LiveNOW from FOX is available for free on FOX Local, Amazon Freevee, Amazon News, fuboTV, LG Channels, Plex, The Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, Tubi, Vizio WatchFree+, Xumo, YouTube and YouTube TV. What they're saying The pope has vowed to take "every effort" to work for peace in the Middle East and Ukraine and to actively promote the spirituality and traditions of the eastern rite churches, those Catholic communities with origins in the Mideast and eastern Europe that have been decimated by years of conflict and persecution. "The church needs you!" Leo told a Holy Year audience of eastern rite pilgrims. He has also taken over the Vatican's official social media handles, with a first Instagram post on Tuesday repeating the first words he said to the world as pope: "Peace be with you all!" RELATED: Cardinal Robert Prevost elected new Pope Leo XIV: Here's what's next The @Pontifex – Pope Leo XIV post featured some of the photos that have documented the first days of history's first American pope. The Vatican said it was archiving the posts from Pope Francis ' 12-year papacy. On X, the new account didn't appear to be active Tuesday. The Vatican launched the @Pontifex handle in 2012 during the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI. It now comes in nine languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, German, Polish, Arabic, and Latin -- and counts a combined 52 million followers. Past popes didn't actually send the posts, which were curated by the Vatican. The backstory Robert Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, is the first pontiff from the United States. Prevost, 69, is a Chicago native and also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as bishop. RELATED: Who is Cardinal Robert Prevost? American elected pope for 1st time He joined the Order of St. Augustine in 1977. He attended Villanova University near Philadelphia, where he received a Bachelor of Science in 1977, and he got a Master of Divinity degree from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago in 1982. Prevost was twice elected prior general, or top leader, of the Augustinians, the 13th century religious order founded by St. Augustine. After Francis sent him to Chiclayo, he acquired Peruvian citizenship in 2015, until Francis brought him to Rome in 2023 to assume the bishops' office and presidency of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. The Source The Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in this story comes primarily from Vatican News and TIME, which provided details about the upcoming inaugural mass and historical context from Pope Francis's 2013 inauguration. This story was reported from Los Angeles.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Family remembers Elder Aleki Langi, who died while serving LDS mission
KEARNS, Utah () — Elder Aleki Langi was laid to rest on Wednesday. The 18 year old is remembered by family for his big smile, excitement for life, and his sometimes over the top confidence. Elder Langi, from Magna, was on mission in North Carolina. He was walking with his two companions on a sidewalk when a driver lost control of their vehicle and drove off the road into the missionaries, according to the church. Langi died from his injuries. Utah missionary dies in 'tragic accident' while serving in North Carolina His 'aunties' tell ABC4 that Langi's confidence led him to always excitedly tell them every time he felt like he looked good. One story involved blue contacts that he wore for his graduation from Cypress. Despite clearly hurting his eyes to wear, Langi insisted that his aunties notice he looked good. The full blue contacts story and Langi's confidence Langi took his excitement for life and used it in his mission to serve God. It was a call that brought great pride to his family. Kuuipo Langi, one of his aunts, explained, 'His choice to go serve the Lord was the most awesome thing of all.' Sela Langi, another aunt, continued, 'He was super excited and he was so ready.' She added, 'If he had the choice to do it, he would would have just left before his time to go [on the mission]' We're told Elder Langi was an athlete. He loved football, basketball, volleyball, and had even recently gotten into pickle ball. He loved to sing. His aunts say he wasn't very good, but was a 'confident' singer. Vasa Falepapalangi detailed, 'Any time we'd have family, we'd have, like, a talent show night where we would tell the kids they had to do it. She [Sela] has a video of him karaoking and it was the same one hand move throughout out the entire song. But he loved it.' One of his go-to songs to belt in the kitchen was Tevin Campbell's 'Can We Talk?' The songs chorus includes the lyrics, 'Can we talk, for a minute?' If they could talk to Elder Langi for one more minute, Vasa said she'd tell him, 'He doesn't understand how proud we were of him prior to even making the decision to go serve a mission. Yeah, mine is just to tell him how proud we are of him and who he is.' For Kuuipo, she said she would want him to know the honor he gave to the name 'Aleki Langi' that has been passed down through the family. She said, 'The name Aleki Langi, just as his legacy is something so awesome that he left behind. And I'm so proud of that for for him.' That name he shared with his father, someone he let everyone know was his best friend. Kuuipo told ABC4 she wants his dad to know that. She expressed, 'I think that's something my brother needs to know and always remember. And I think he would want his dad to know that that he was his that was his best friend and that he loved him so much.' Delta crew pays tribute to LDS missionary during his 'final flight' home Langi family thanks Delta and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 11-year-old in St. George raises money for aunt after being bullied at his lemonade stand Family remembers Elder Aleki Langi, who died while serving LDS mission UTA Rider's License: Just $49 for summer transit for youth Daiso opens it's first Utah store in Midvale 2025 Forest River RV Rockwood Signature R301RKS Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
