‘Never thought I’d see an American pope’: Joy and some surprise in Vancouver over Pope Leo XIV

Bells rang out in downtown Vancouver Thursday to celebrate the election of the 267th pope, who is also the first American pontiff.

There was joy, hope and some surprise in Vancouver as Catholics learned who had been chosen as the new pope.

Formerly known as Cardinal Robert Prevost, Pope Leo XIV, 69, is the first pope from the United States.

“I never thought I’d see an American pope, to be honest,” said Archbishop J. Michael Miller, Archdiocese of Vancouver.

“Pleasantly surprised, but a little surprised,” he added.

“I thought that being an American would sort of be regarded negatively by a lot of the cardinal electors because of the particular super-power status the United States holds. But they didn’t consider that dimension at all, looks like they looked just for the best man,” explained Miller.

It’s a sentiment echoed by others in the Catholic church, including Father Stanley Galvon, who was putting up posters outside the Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver to announce the new pope.

“I didn’t think it would be an American, but when you look deeper, it kind of makes sense because Pope Leo XIV has had a background of social justice. That’s important in all the world,” he said.

The Catholics’ new spiritual leader spent many years ministering in Peru, though he was born in Chicago.

“The Americans will be so proud, but every time there’s a first, it’s good,” said Lydia Chua, who attended a noon mass at the Vancouver church.

Another parishioner told CTV News the pope is “going to help the whole world. Not just ourselves, but the whole world. And hopefully now the United States, they have a soul.”

In his first speech, Pope Leo XIV brought a message of peace.

“If he could spread peace among the world, it should be good,” said Chua.

Also attending the mass was Monica Babar, who said the choosing of a new pope is “such great news to the faithful people, and we just pray that he is the shepherd of the church and a guiding force.”

“I’m very excited to learn more from Pope Leo and about Pope Leo…it’s incredible,” said Kasia Miskewiez, after the service.

“The new pope to me is a new hope to the world,” said Hsiao-Fan Lin, who also attended the mass while visiting Vancouver.

According to Mathew Furtado, director of communications for the Archdiocese of Vancouver, while the new pope was Prior General of the Order of St. Augustine, he travelled to Canada several times, including to Vancouver in the early 2000s.