Ellie Hidalgo met Cardinal Robert Prevost before his election as Pope Leo XIV, making history as the first American pontiff. Born in Chicago, Prevost’s background includes decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru, highlighting his rich international experience. This unexpected election during a conclave of 133 cardinals was seen as a notable milestone for Catholics in South Florida. Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski emphasized Prevost's broader international role over national identity, noting his extensive contributions in Peru, thus enriching his papacy beyond American perspectives.
"I think most people were surprised because for years they discounted the possibility of an American being elected as Pope," Wenski told the Miami Herald.
"We shouldn't present him in a narrow fashion that he's an American Pope... he is perhaps more international than American, because he spent most of his priesthood as a missionary in Peru."
Leo XIV was born in 1955 in Chicago, and he’s now made history as the first pontiff from the United States in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.
Most Vatican City watchers had considered Cardinal Robert Prevost a long-shot for the papacy, making his election as Pope a surprising milestone.
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