Joshua McElwee (Vatican Correspondent for Reuters)

He's not someone who a lot of people were looking at. He's only been at the Vatican for about two years. Before that, he was a missionary in Peru.

He's not someone who a lot of people were looking at. He's only been at the Vatican for about two years. Before that, he was a missionary in Peru.

He's not someone who a lot of people were looking at. He's only been at the Vatican for about two years. Before that, he was a missionary in Peru.

There might have been a sentiment now that with the role America is playing on the world stage and the divisive tenor of U.S. President Donald Trump, that maybe it was the right time for an American pope to be at the helm of the Catholic Church and help it navigate and also respond to the American administration.

There might have been a sentiment now that with the role America is playing on the world stage and the divisive tenor of U.S. President Donald Trump, that maybe it was the right time for an American pope to be at the helm of the Catholic Church and help it navigate and also respond to the American administration.

There might have been a sentiment now that with the role America is playing on the world stage and the divisive tenor of U.S. President Donald Trump, that maybe it was the right time for an American pope to be at the helm of the Catholic Church and help it navigate and also respond to the American administration.

He brings with him clear preference for some of the priorities of Pope Francis, who criticized the Trump administration over its handling and deportation of migrants and on other life issues. And I think we can expect that in time, the new Pope, Leo XIV, will also echo Pope Francis and make some of those same criticisms.

He brings with him clear preference for some of the priorities of Pope Francis, who criticized the Trump administration over its handling and deportation of migrants and on other life issues. And I think we can expect that in time, the new Pope, Leo XIV, will also echo Pope Francis and make some of those same criticisms.

He brings with him clear preference for some of the priorities of Pope Francis, who criticized the Trump administration over its handling and deportation of migrants and on other life issues. And I think we can expect that in time, the new Pope, Leo XIV, will also echo Pope Francis and make some of those same criticisms.

I think initially you could expect that the new pope would uphold a lot of the traditional Catholic sexual doctrine. And then we could see if on social issues he pronounces a line that might fit in more in a progressive viewpoint.

I think initially you could expect that the new pope would uphold a lot of the traditional Catholic sexual doctrine. And then we could see if on social issues he pronounces a line that might fit in more in a progressive viewpoint.

I think initially you could expect that the new pope would uphold a lot of the traditional Catholic sexual doctrine. And then we could see if on social issues he pronounces a line that might fit in more in a progressive viewpoint.

The Pope is someone who enjoyed working and took his job as leader of the world's Catholics very seriously.

The Pope is someone who enjoyed working and took his job as leader of the world's Catholics very seriously.

The Pope is someone who enjoyed working and took his job as leader of the world's Catholics very seriously.

You saw a pope who looked okay, but certainly limited and perhaps straining to make a public commitment.

You saw a pope who looked okay, but certainly limited and perhaps straining to make a public commitment.

You saw a pope who looked okay, but certainly limited and perhaps straining to make a public commitment.

He had a style that was very gregarious, very outgoing, and was really known for wanting to open up the church to the modern world. Many people might remember that his first act as the Pope was to ask the people in Rome on his election in 2013 to pray for him and to bless him.

He had a style that was very gregarious, very outgoing, and was really known for wanting to open up the church to the modern world. Many people might remember that his first act as the Pope was to ask the people in Rome on his election in 2013 to pray for him and to bless him.