The First ever American pope, Pope Leo, has gave a speech in English during his first mass and everyone’s saying the exact same thing.
Pope Leo, born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was chosen as the 267th pontiff earlier this week on Thursday (8 May) and it hasn’t taken long for believers to rush to social media to share their opinions on his Chicago accent during his first speech as the new Bishop of Rome.
Now, the world has already heard the 69-year-old American’s singing voice during the mass earlier this morning (9 May). Howerver, his accent attracted attention because it was a ‘jolt’ people were far from ready for.
One X user commented: “The new Pope speaking in English with an American accent!!! What a jolt for me.”
A second added: “The Pope is speaking English, with an American accent.”
“The pope is gonna have an American accent and for some reason that is cracking me up like no other. The Pope should not be an American,” hit out a third.A fourth shared: “You simply cannot be Pope if you have an American accent.”
“A Pope with any American twang is really interesting, culturally,” pointed out a fifth, while another said: “An American pope with an American accent doesn’t sit right with me…”
And a final X user added: “I can’t imagine a Pope with an American accent when reading Latin. It’s horrible.”
He also shares many of the same thought as his predecessor in that he’s passionate about helping migrants and the poor, and has even previously blamed Donald Trump for his immigration policies.
Prior to rising to the ultimate position of religious power, the new pope has to achieve a two-third majority vote during a conclave, which sees 133 cardinals from across the globe anonymously pen their preference.
What are Pope Leo’s beliefs?
Immigration
The new leader ‘has selected a name widely related with the social justice legacy of Pope Leo XIII, who was pontiff at a time of epic upheaval in the world, the time of the industrial revolution, the beginning of Marxism, and widespread immigration’.
LGBTQ+ community
When it comes to LGBTQ+ views, in 2012 he shared about criticism of entertainment media that had ‘sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel’, which included the ‘homosexual lifestyle’ and ‘alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children’.
Poverty
Pope Leo was formerly the prior general of the Order of St. Augustine, which was a community of friars who were devoted to poverty, service and evangelisation.
It is believed he shares similar views on the matter to Pope Francis as he drew his clergy’s attention to his teachings on poverty.
Women in the church
In 2023, Pope Leo told Vatican News: “On several occasions we have seen that their point of view is an enrichment.” The role of women in the Church is something people will be looking out for with Pope Leo as he supported his predecessor’s devision to allow women to join the Dicastery for Bishops for the first time.
Climate change
Speaking about climate change last year, the newly named pope has said it was time to make moves ‘from words to action’.
