Americans in St. Peter’s Square said they were shocked and thrilled at the announcement of Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the United States.
“It’s so wonderful to just having experienced it, first of all,” said Lisette Martinez, who rushed down to the square as soon as she heard there was white smoke. “And then it’s the first American pope. It’s surreal. It’s holy. It’s a blessing to be here.”
People wave a U.S. flag at St Peter’s Square as the cardinals signaled they elected a new pope during their conclave, in The Vatican, May 8, 2025.
Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images
William Jordan, from Virginia, brought his American flag down to the square.
“I blacked out for a second, truly,” he said. “I don’t even know what to think. I can’t process it yet. Obviously, it’s groundbreaking historically, and I have high hopes for what he can do in the Vatican and globally.”
There were tears of joy for Jessica Wood as the new pope was announced. Wood, a New Yorker whose one-day trip to Rome just happened to coincide with this extraordinary moment in history, couldn’t contain her joy.
“To be here for this moment is so unbelievably profound. It’s something I’m going to be talking about for the rest of my life,” Wood said.
-ABC News’ Guy Davies, Zoe Magee and Maggie Rulli
