'Monumental Day' as Washington's Catholics Welcome First U.S.-Born Pope

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WASHINGTON – Throughout the nation’s capital, Catholics enthusiastically received the update. church’s first U.S.-born pope .

I never imagined during my lifetime we'd witness an American pope," remarked Rev. Msgr. W. Ronald Jameson, who directs St. Matthew’s Cathedral. "This is truly an incredibly joyous day.

On May 8, the highest-ranking figure in the Roman Catholic Church made a decision. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost To become the 267th pope just a single day following the commencement of the papal conclave. Hailing originally from Chicago, the individual was a 69-year-old who dedicated over forty years to service as both a missionary and a bishop in Peru, where they also attained citizenship.

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The new pontiff, Who selected the name Leo XIV? was not considered one of the top contenders to win Pope Francis , passed away last month at the age of 88. Nevertheless, his choice was a pleasant shock for numerous residents of Washington.

Jameson, who oversees activities at the main cathedral of the archbishopric in Washington, mentioned that the declaration of Pope Leo XIV “totally shocked” him. Leo's ascension to the top of the Catholic Church was a surprise, Jameson said, because being a U.S. citizen was long considered a barrier to the papacy.

The monsignor expects that the incoming pope will continue from where Francis concluded his tenure, championing causes related to aiding the underprivileged and supporting migrants. Additionally, he foresees this continuation towards fostering unity, promoting peace, and ensuring inclusiveness.

"He is a person who will carry forward the legacy of Francis, and this matters greatly to me," Jameson remarked, observing as a team of caretakers swapped out the dark funeral hangings for bright white and golden decorations to celebrate the installation of a new pontiff with the Vatican's official hues.

When Gabby Innamorato and several of her colleagues learned that the cardinals had chosen a new Pope, she hurriedly left her workplace and made her way towards St. Matthew’s Cathedral, which was just across the street.

Innamorato, employed at a nonprofit organization, admitted she wasn’t acquainted with the identity of the newly elected pope since her preference had been for Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines to follow Francis. However, upon hearing Pope Leo XIV’s initial address from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, she has become optimistic that this fresh head of the Catholic Church, similar to his predecessor, will also be "someone close to everyday folks."

This is a surprise, yet not an unpleasant one," she remarked. "I simply didn’t anticipate it.

Lucero Rossi, aged 36, stated that Leo is precisely the type of pope she had been hoping for ever since Pope Francis passed away.

For Rossi, who hails from Mexico but serves as an economist in the U.S., key concerns revolve around immigration and environmental matters. After spending only a brief period reviewing Leo’s comments, she feels confident that he will continue along the same path as his predecessors, advocating for advancements in these areas.

She mentioned that he appears to support an immigrant-friendly platform," which makes her quite pleased.

As Rossi observed, he made his initial public appearance at St. Peter’s Basilica, commencing his speech in Italian with " Peace be upon you all." However, the part that garnered the most attention was when he welcomed his congregation from both Chicago and Peru in Spanish rather than English.

“She exclaimed, ‘I genuinely adored that. It was like being embraced by the Latin American world.’”

Isaac Sagastume, who is an ordained priest with the Archdiocese of Washington, stated, "It's a highly exhilarating period for the church in the United States."

Sagastume, who at the beginning of the afternoon Mass declared amid thunderous applause that white smoke was visible rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel — signaling that a new pope had been elected. He mentioned that Leo is an ideal leader for addressing the numerous challenges faced globally today.

"He was a candidate who possessed experience within the U.S. Church, as well as in Latin America and the global Church," stated Sagastume.

Outside the church where he had a short encounter with Pope Francis in 2016, Sagastume remarked that Francis "paved the way" for Leo, expressing his hope for a "continuation of this pastoral approach" under the new leader of the Vatican.

U.S. politicians joined in offering their best wishes and warm sentiments for the newly elected pope. In remarks to reporters, President Donald Trump stated, "Having a pope from America is quite an immense honor."

Representative Robert Garcia, the inaugural Peruvian-American member of Congress, said on X He hopes Leo "finds strength as he assumes his position as a global and spiritual guide."

Garcia stated, "He has shown that he stands for fairness towards the underprivileged and immigrants." He added, "Let his guidance embody these principles as he promotes tranquility throughout the globe."

Shortly following Leo’s initial official address as the newly appointed Pope, throngs of devoted Catholic followers packed the seats within the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which stands as the biggest Catholic church across North America.

As the evening mass began, Rev. Msgr. Vito A. Buonanno, pronounced “He’s American!” to a thunderous roar of applause. “I never thought I’d live to see it,” he added.

Catherine and Steven Miggemeier drove for over four hours from Long Island, New York, just so they could attend the Mass. Their visit to Washington was primarily to collect their daughter, who is a sophomore studying at the Catholic University of America. After successfully picking her up, they chose to stop by the adjacent church to commemorate this significant occasion.

Lifelong Catholics expressed their hope that Leo will attract more individuals to embrace the Catholic faith and demonstrate, much like Francis did, that "the Church welcomes everybody."

When Francis visited the United States for the first time in 2015, Catherine Miggemeier was in New York. She expressed her hope that Leo would soon revisit his home country and appear at various locations throughout North America. In the meantime, she mentioned that she looks forward to embracing the enthusiasm surrounding the arrival of this fresh earthly representative of divinity.

"This is an historic moment," she stated.

The article initially appeared on USA TODAY: "A historic day": Washington's Catholics welcome the nation's first native Pope.