Three months have passed since these images.
It was 6:07 p.m. in Rome. The seagulls circling the chimney were the first to notice the white smoke that filled the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
And so it was announced to the world that the Catholic Church had a new successor to Peter.
He was the 267th pope. However, it was not until an hour later, at 7:22 p.m. to be precise, that this moment occurred.
It was then that we learned the name and face of the man who is now Pope Leo XIV.
During these months at the beginning of his pontificate, the faithful have been discovering the new leader of the Church.
Continue to show us that Christ is the path that leads us to the Lord. It is God who is God among us, and thus helps us strengthen our faith and live with Him day after day, knowing that with Him all things are possible. With Him, life becomes much simpler.
And his potential for conveying the Gospel message in a contemporary way is highlighted.
I feel he's a 'bridge pope' because he brings us closer to Jesus. Sometimes some might see it as if it happened many years ago or that what he said is already in the past, and he brings it down to earth and makes us feel like we're part of a family. That he's our father.
But Pope Leo's theological teachings are not the only thing highlighted. Other faithful highlight his relationship with some of the realities that exist in the Church.
Well, I loved the Pope's vitality. The energy, how he attracts young people, as if from that strength from what you see… how he shows himself. Now that the Jubilee of Young People has also been held… well, I think that vitality is sorely needed. We need to lift up especially from the masses of young people and in that unity. I loved that.
However, Pope Leo has not only shown his affection and closeness to young people. Many predict a fruitful pontificate.
Pope Leo is a blessing. We perceive him as a very approachable Pope, very much of the Church, very much of the people, who is always asking us to pray for peace. He is often smiling, and the truth is that he also transmits a lot of peace, a lot of serenity, and I believe he will be a great driving force for the Catholic Church in these coming years.
It is a Church that has many challenges to face: from dialogue with a secularized world, to reckoning with its own weaknesses. For example, it remains to be seen how measures to prevent and cure abuse will be implemented. What is clear is that it is still early and that much remains to be seen and demonstrated from this new pontificate.
AM
TR: GS
