At the moment he was elected, Pope Leo told God: ‘You’re in charge’
Leo reveals his first thought after being elected Pope
- Pope Leo XIV revealed his immediate reaction to being elected leader of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church, saying he told God, "You're in charge, and you lead the way."
- Speaking publicly for the first time about the profound duty of leading the global church, the first U.S. Pope recalled sensing the immense responsibility might fall to him during the secret conclave in May.
- Before his election, Leo was a relatively unknown figure, having dedicated decades to missionary work and serving as a bishop in Peru before becoming a senior Vatican official in 2022.
- He admitted he is still adapting to intense media scrutiny, often finding journalists' interpretations of his expressions amusing but not always accurate.
- Concluding his inaugural overseas trip to Turkey and Lebanon, Pope Leo outlined plans for future international visits, including a desire to travel to Africa for Muslim-Christian dialogue, and mentioned Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru.