“Sometimes he would make pizza, back in those days you couldn’t get good pizza in Peru,” Rev Lyndon told the BBC. “He was somebody you would sit down with and just talk and laugh,” he adds. “He had a very good singing voice as well.”

He continued, “We always had to block out a week for his birthday, which is in December, because every part of the parish wanted to celebrate his birthday,” he concluded, “It’s an amazing thing. I’m still absorbing it.”

Leo XIV has long supported the previous Pope, Pope Francis. He supported him in blessing same-sex couples and other people in “irregular situations.” However, he also believed that bishops had to interpret it in directives by local cultures.

Pope Leo “didn’t” think he’d win election, brother reveals

Like his predecessor, Leo has spoken out about the threat of climate change, and said last year that it’s time to move from “words to action.” He also said that humanity has to build a “relationship of reciprocity” with the environment. Moreover, he has supported the installation of solar panels and the adoption of electric vehicles.

Pope Francis was also a supporter of women joining the Dicastery for Bishops. In 2023, he told Vatican News that he had, on several occasions, seen women’s “point of view as an enrichment.”

Before becoming Pope, Leo’s most high-profile role inside the Vatican was President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, overseeing the selection of new bishops worldwide.

Exactly how many votes Leo received inside the conclave is not known. He was not among the favorites beforehand. Speaking to NBC Chicago, John Prevost revealed that he asked his brother if he had watched the movie Conclave before the start of the real papal conclave, so he’d “know how to behave” if he were elected.

“So he knew how to behave. So it’s that kind of stuff, because I wanted to take his mind off of it, laugh about something, because this is now an awesome responsibility,” Prevost told NBC, adding that Pope Leo was doubtful about ‘winning’ the election..

“He didn’t think so. I kind of did, because what I was reading and what I was hearing that there were three outstanding candidates that were in first, second and third place. The Cardinal from the Philippines, the Secretary of State and him,” Prevost said, concluding that he “didn’t believe” that his brother actually won.

Donald Trump congratulates

“I didn’t believe it, and Rob didn’t believe it. I should say, Pope Leo didn’t believe it at all, because there’s not going to be an American pope was the attitude,” Prevost said.

Leo’s papacy will go down in history as the first to be American. It didn’t take long before US President Donald Trump congratulated the newly elected Pope through his Truth Social account.

“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”

The President added, “I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he was a “little bit surprised” that Pope Leo won the election but reiterated that it was an “absolutely great honor.” He added, “It’s such a great honor for our country, an American pope, and what greater honor can there be?”

While the President of the United States congratulated Pope Leo XIV, his supporters had other ideas. On social media, MAGA supporters and several Republican influencers

MAGA-suporters furious over Pope Leo election win

Not long ago, Prevost publicly criticized VP JD Vance and expressed sympathy for immigrants and George Floyd. As per Independent, one Trump supporter stated Leo was a “woke Marxcist Pope,” adding that he is “worse than Francis.”

Alt-right conspiracy theorist Mike Cernovich took to X, writing, “Sorry, Catholics. This new Pope is an open borders globalist. He will be pushing for abortion soon. This isn’t a guess. You can scroll his X account and see what he’s been up to.”

Pro-Trump social media personality Joe Mannarino mentioned that Pope Leo had previously attacked JD Vance and “begged Trump to open the borders like Biden had them.” He added that “this guy is worse than Francis,” and called Leo a “liberal piece of s***” and insisted that “we’re f**cked.”

MAGA influencer Vince Langman was in rage after Pope Leo XIV had been elected, bringing up a 2015 tweet from Prevost where he criticized Trump’s anti-immigrant statements.

“He’s a WOKE Never Trumper liberal. That’s why!” Langman wrote as per the Independent.

Even before the election, supporters of the MAGA movement showed their disapproval if Provost became Pope. Former Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon told Piers Morgan last week, “I do think one of the dark horses — and unfortunately one of the most progressive — is Cardinal Prevost… he’s certainly on the shortlist.”

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