Cardinal Robert F. Prevost has selected the name Pope Leo XIV—so who was Pope Leo XIII?

“For us, as Hispanics who are suffering in the United States, it gives us great hope to believe that this next pope will be like Francis and stand with immigrants.”

Pope Leo XIV is a dual citizen of the United States and Peru, where he first served as a missionary and then as an archbishop. That made him the first pope from each country.

Cardinal Robert Prevost, O.S.A. has chosen to be known by Leo XIV.

It’s hard to describe the mood in Vatican City right now. There is great expectation and excitement but also a sense of unease.

That is the question ghosts really should be made to answer: Why remain where you have been most miserable?

Now that the 133 cardinal electors are ensconced in the Sistine Chapel to elect a successor to Pope Francis, some potential candidates have come to the fore.

When else do we get an opportunity like this, to take someone at this level of leadership at face value?

For these next days of waiting, first and foremost for the cardinals in conclave and then also for all of us: Come, Holy Spirit, bringing wisdom, discernment and patience.

Some five hours after the opening Mass, the cardinals were to process into the Sistine Chapel, swear an oath to uphold the conclave rules, listen to a final reflection and—if they chose to do so—conduct the first ballot.