Cheers, tears and prayers as Leo XIV appears on basilica balcony to give first blessing
Noah from Los Angeles had listened carefully to the first words spoken by Pope Leo XIV from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, but his lack of Italian meant he understood none of it.
“Wait, you mean he’s American? Really? Wow, that’s exciting,” he said with some surprise on his way out of St Peter’s Square. As he absorbed the news of the first American pope, he said he hoped it would be good news for his country. “We sure as hell need it,” he said.
