Pope Leo makes moving tribute to late Francis in first speech

The newly elected Pope Leo XIV has made a moving tribute to his predecessor in his first speech as the leader of the Catholic Church. 

Robert Prevost gave a heartfelt appraisal to Pope Francis, who died aged 88 on Easter Monday last month, as he addressed adorning crowds in Rome after being unveiled as the 267th pontiff.

The 69-year-old, who is also history's first ever American Pope, appeared in front of jubilant followers on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica, telling them 'Peace be with you' and offering a reminder of God's unconditional love.

'And Pope Francis, in fact, was always courageous, and he blessed Rome. The Pope that blessed Rome gave his blessing to the world, to the whole world on that Easter morning,' he added. 

Pope Leo went onto thank Francis for his work and his 'brother cardinals' who have chosen me to be the successor of Peter'. 

Crowds had been joyously waving flags and chanting 'Habemus Papam' - the Latin for 'we have a Pope' - since white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel shortly after 5pm UK time on Thursday, indicating that cardinals had elected a new pontiff. 

The pontiff, who will be named Pope Leo XIV, today became the religious leader of some 1.4 billion Catholics across the globe and someone believed to be called as the successor to St Peter, who was the first. 

As his predecessor, Francis brought Prevost to Italy in 2023 and handed him a prominent post heading into the Conclave, serving as the head of the vetting process for new bishop nominations.

Prevost was born in Chicago, Illinois and began studying to become a priest with the Catholic Church at the age of 18, before going on to graduate from Villanova University in Pennsylvania with a degree in mathematics four years later. 

He spent much of his early life in South America and also holds Peruvian citizenship, and was said to have been seen as the 'least American of the Americans' who were in the running at the Conclave. 

He waded into gender ideology while serving as a bishop in Chiclayo, Peru in 2012, saying that 'the promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don't exist.'

Following his graduation in Pennsylvania, Prevost first went to Peru in 1985 as a missionary before being named the Roman Catholic Diocese for the Chulucanas region that same year. 

Prevost - also known as Father Bob - returned to work as a pastor in Chicago in 1987 for one year before becoming the head of the Augustinian seminary in Trujillo, Peru - a role he kept for a decade. 

In 1998, he was elected as the head of the Augustinian Province of Chicago, making him one of the leading religious figures in the United States. 

While he makes history as the first American pope, the religious leader has not been shy about his disapproval of President Donald Trump in the past. 

Despite this, the US leader was one of the first notable figures to congratulate Pope Leo on his new role, he will 'look forward to meeting' the new pontiff in a post on his Truth Social platform.

The US President wrote: 'Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope.

'What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!'

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed the pontiff's as a 'momentous moment' and said that he looks 'forward to meeting the Holy Father and continuing to work closely with the Catholic Church'.  

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also congratulated Pope Leo's appointment with a plea for continued support from the Vatican.

In a post on X Mr Zelensky wrote: 'Ukraine deeply values the Holy See's consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federation's military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians.

'At this decisive moment for our country, we hope for the continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraine's efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace.'

Pope Leo's speech in full: 

Thank you. Brothers and sisters, dear brothers and sisters. This is the first greeting of Christ resurrected, the good pastor who gave life for the Lord.

And I would also like this greeting of peace to come into your hearts and join your families and join everyone, everyone. Whoever they are, all peoples and the whole earth, peace be with you.

This is the peace of Christ resurrected. It's a peace that's disarmed and disarming, humble, and will also persevere.

And it comes from God, God who loves all of us, unconditionally. And let us hear even the weak voices.

And Pope Francis, in fact, was always courageous, and he blessed Rome. The Pope that blessed Rome gave his blessing to the world, to the whole world on that Easter morning. So let us follow up that blessing. God loves us. God loves all of you, and sin will not prevail.

We are all in the hands of God. And at the same time, without fear, let us be united, hands in hand, with God and amongst ourselves, let's move forward.

Because we are the disciples of Christ. Christ preceded us. The world needs your light. Humanity necessitates, needs him, just as a bridge.

In order to be able to get to God and to reach God's love. Help us, you must also help us and help one another to build bridges, build bridges through dialogue, through meetings, and we all must be a single people, always living in peace.

Thanks to Pope Francis. And I would also like to thank all my brother cardinals who have chosen me to be the successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a united church, always trying to find peace, justice, and always trying to work as men and women faithful to Jesus Christ without fear.

And to proclaim Evangel and also to be missionaries.

I am a son of St. Augustine. In fact, I belong to the movement of St Augustine, and St Augustine said, 'I am Christian with you'.

To that extent, we can all walk together. We can all work together towards that land. God has prepared us for.

And to the Church of Rome, I'd like to give you a special greeting.

Together, we must try to find out how to be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges... establishes dialogues that are always open to receive on this piazza with open arms - to be able to receive everybody that needs our charity, our presence, dialogue and love.

I would just like, also, to say something in Spanish, just a few words.

And I particularly like... to say hello to my compatriots from Peru. It was a great pleasure for me to work in Peru.

So to all of you, brothers and sisters, of Rome, Italy, of the whole world, we need to be a church that is joined, a church that walks the path of peace, that's always looking for charity, that is always looking to be close, especially to those that are suffering.

And today, it's the day in which we pray to the Madonna of Pompeii. Our mother, Mary, always wants to walk along with us, to stay close to us and to help us, to help with her love and her intercession.

So I would like to pray with you. Let us pray together for this new mission, for the whole church. And for peace throughout the world.

And let's ask for this special grace from Mary, our mother.

So hail Mary, full of grace, our Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

To all the faithful here present, and to all those who receive his blessing through the radio, through television, and other technologies of communication. You can recognise him in the way recognised by the church.

Let us hope that he's preserved for a long time and ensure peace to the church throughout the world.