Montrealers react to first American pope in history

Robert Prevost was elected the first pope from the United States in the history of the Catholic Church. He will be known as Leo XIV.

The 69-year-old was born in Chicago but is considered as much a cardinal from Latin America, having significant missionary experience in Peru.

He appeared on the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Thursday, shortly after his election as the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.

Here’s what Montrealers think of the new pope.

“It’s definitely very surprising and I hope the fact that it is an American pope and someone who’s different from who was previously instated will mean that there are a lot of big changes,” said one Montrealer, standing in front of the Mary Queen of the World Cathedral in downtown Montreal on Thursday. “Hopefully in a good way, but I am interested to see what the difference does end up being.”

“I’m very surprised by the announcement about the new pope,” said another Montrealer. “I’m not sure what to say, but I’m very happy that the new pope was chosen.”

Another Montrealer said, like the new pope, he was brought up in the United States and “loves” the country as a “melting pot” of cultures, ethnicities and diversity of ideas.

“I think the fact that the pope is from America represents a step forward in terms of probably accepting different ethnicities and cultures and this melting pot into the Catholic religion,” he said.

He was not the only American outside the Montreal cathedral on Thursday; another American woman said that by being American, she felt she was able to relate with the new pope.

“I’m excited to see how American ideology can affect the church,” she said. “We’ll see what happens.”

“I have a good feeling it’s gonna be a good pope,” added another Montrealer, before making the sign of the cross.

“God bless the new pope, congratulations, and I think it’ll be a new era, and we hope for the best,” added another man.

One man who said he was Muslim, not Catholic, thinks it’s “awesome” that an American was elected pope for the first time.

“I think it’s cool that there’s an American pope; I think that’s a bit different than what I’ve heard in the past, from what I’ve studied in school, and about Catholic history,” he said.

The new head of the Roman Catholic church was elected on the second day of conclave, securing a majority of votes among 133 cardinal electors.

“We are happy that people from the world are given an opportunity, to everyone,” said one Montrealer. “(Everyone) has the right to do prayer.”