DAYTON — Right around lunch time at the University of Dayton, a catholic university, the bells at UD’s chapel signaled a historic moment halfway across the world.
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A new pope had been elected —Pope Leo XIV.
Students at UD had been following the news on live streams, waiting to see who would emerge onto the balcony at St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican as the new pontiff.
They spoke about the election of the first American-born pope.
“I’m really excited. I think that he’ll be a good fit, hopefully. I really haven’t heard much about him, but I’m really hopeful, especially because it only took two days to pick him,” Katie Crump said.
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“I started watching the live stream walking to my final I was getting very excited because this is something, I mean I was super young when the last pope was announced, so it’s something I really haven’t experienced like this, so I think it’s just a very exciting time for everyone,” Addie Hastings said.
Dr. Sandra Yocum is a religious studies professor at UD.
She spoke about the significance of his first words as pope, “peace be with all you.”
“He also talked about bridge building. He said several times, Welcome. We welcome all. We want to proclaim what Christ first proclaimed after his resurrection, the greeting of peace,” Yocum said.
She noted that one of Pope Leo’s first acts was to lead the tens of thousands in St. Peter’s Square in a Hail Mary prayer.
“I found that quite beautiful because he addressed the people in his diocese in Peru, and then he led the prayer, the Hail Mary, in Spanish with people, and I think that just signifies that he will invoke Mary’s protection and guidance and help and prayers as he goes forth as Leo XIV,” she said.
Yocum said that the choice of Leo as his papal name could be a nod to the last pope to take that name, Leo XIII, and his work at metaphorical bridge building and his focus on catholic social teachings could be an indication of the direction Leo XIV wants to take.
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