Peruvians elated after cardinal who spent years in the South American country is elected pope

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peruvians were elated Thursday after a Catholic cardinal who spent years guiding the faithful in the South American country and they see as one of their own was elected pope.

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.

In Peru’s capital, Lima, the bells of the cathedral rang after Cardinal Robert Prevost was announced as Pope Francis’ successor. People outside the church quickly expressed their desire for a papal visit.

“For us Peruvians, it is a source of pride that this is a pope who represents our country,” said elementary school teacher Isabel Panez, who was near the cathedral when the news was announced. “We would like him to visit us here in Peru.”

Leo, standing on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time as pope, addressed in Spanish the people of Chiclayo, which sits just 9 miles (14 km) away from Peru’s northern Pacific coast and is among the country’s most populous cities.

“Greetings... to all of you, and in particular, to my beloved diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, where a faithful people have accompanied their bishop, shared their faith,” he said.

Diana Celis, who attended several Masses officiated by Prevost in Chiclayo, told The Associated Press that he would often repeat that he had “come from Chicago to Chiclayo, the only difference is a few letters.”

Born in Chicago in 1955, Prevost has held Peruvian nationality since 2015, Peru’s national register agency confirmed Thursday. In 2014, he served as the administrator and later archbishop of Chiclayo and remained in that position until Francis summoned him to Rome in 2023 to serve as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations from around the world, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church.

“He will be very sensitive to the social doctrine of the Church and will undoubtedly be attentive to the signs of the times,” the Rev. Edinson Farfán, bishop of Chiclayo, told reporters.

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Garcia Cano reported from Mexico City.