New Yorkers rejoiced over the selection of a new pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, the first American selected as Bishop of Rome for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
Hours after white smoke billowed from the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel signaling the selection of a new Pope, faithful followers flocked to Manhattan’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral to say prayers and offer best wishes to Chicago native Cardinal Robert Prevost, the new Catholic Holy Father.
“I think it’s interesting that this Pope is from Chicago, which saw a lot of the initial labor movements begin there,” said Chris Kennedy, of Astoria. “It’s always been a big union town. And so I think Pope Leo XIV’s selection reminds us that America is not just about Trump, but a country that has always had this long legacy of rights of laborers. I just put a candle under the statue of St. Peter. Peter, of course, was the first Pope. I lit a candle and said a Hail Mary for Pope Leo XIV.”
Anthony Dunn, who was visiting from Philadelphia, said he and his colleagues started texting each other when the white smoke appeared from the Sistine Chapel chimney.
”It was kind of surreal,” said Dunn, a technology integration coach at the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. “It flashed on our screens ‘American’ and we were, like, ‘Who is that?’ You kind of expect someone like Cardinal Dolan or someone you know. But then we realized — ‘Oh no, I’ve seen him before. I know him.’ So it’s exciting. I just hope he’s a good person. Hopefully, he’s for everybody.”
Bells rang out at the venerable Fifth Ave. cathedral after the new Pope Leo emerged onto a balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City. Visitors to the Manhattan church expressed hope that the new pontiff would follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis, who died last month after a tenure that focused on humility and compassion.
Indeed, the new pontiff wasted no time outlining his vision for the worldwide Church, calling on Christians to “show our charity” and “be in dialogue with love,” messages that resonated with Big Apple dwellers from Bayside to Bensonhurst.
“We have to seek together to be a missionary Church,” the new Pope Leo told the thick crowd that filled St. Peter’s Square for a glimpse of the pontiff, “a church that builds bridges and dialogue.”
Locals said they were especially thrilled that the bridges stretch all the way to the States.
“What a momentous day for Catholics here in Queens and across the world,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said in a social media post. “We have a Pope — an American Pope, at that. God bless Pope Leo XIV. May his leadership inspire Catholics and non-Catholics alike to continue building bridges and uniting communities.”
Mayor Adams said New Yorkers would look to Pope Leo “for leadership and inspiration.”
“With the selection of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, the first American in history to serve as Pope, the Vatican has uplifted the voices of Catholics across the five boroughs and our entire country,” Adams said in a statement.
“New York City is a global city, bringing together Catholics from all around the world, and I know that given his international service, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV will bring an inclusive perspective to the papacy.”
Even Knicks fans, whose team is up 2-0 in the latest round of the NBA playoffs, thought there might be a hidden blessing in the new Pope’s selection. Three of the team’s stars played college ball at Villanova University, Pope Leo’s alma mater.
“What a holy blessing,” Knicks uber fan Spike Lee said on Instagram in a post predicting an NBA championship.
Vera Ribeiro, who was visiting St. Patrick’s Cathedral from Brazil, had more down-to-earth expectations of the first American Pope.
“It’s fantastic,” she said. “It’s innovation. It’s modern, and he looks at the world with new eyes. I like it very much.”
