‘Peace be with all you,’ Pope Leo XIV says in first public words

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of the U.S., appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, May 8, 2025. (Reuters/Dylan Martinez)

VATICAN CITY — “Peace be with all you,” Pope Leo XIV said from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday, in his first public words.

READ: Catholic cardinals elect new pope, white smoke billows from Sistine Chapel

U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected pope by the world’s cardinals on the second day of the conclave. He is the first American pontiff.

READ: US Cardinal Prevost elected Pope Leo XIV, first American pontiff | Prevost, first U.S. pope, supported Francis and shunned spotlight

—Reporting by Joshua McElwee