Pope Leo XIV, Villanova grad, introduces himself adorned in symbolism, proverbial religious devotion

As soundlessness and stillness calmed the anxious world, Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti, overlooking a oversea of tens of thousands of teary-eyed viewers successful St. Peter’s Square, introduced Catholics and non-faithful to the newest pontiff.

American Pope Leo XIV, calved Robert Francis Prevost, was elected to instrumentality the papal spot and win the deceased Pope Francis connected May 8, 2025, aft 4 rounds of conclave voting by 133 members of the College of Cardinals.

As the satellite explores some the tender and commanding qualities that marque Pope Leo XIV papabile and worthy of the Vicar of Christ title, 1 place, a tiny spot of astir 10,000 people, is beaming with pridefulness for the recently elected Chicago-native.

‘DIO BENEDICA IL PAPA’, OTHER WELL WISHES FOR THE NEW PONTIFF, POPE LEO XIV, IN ITALIAN

Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States, the recently elected Pope Leo XIV, appears connected the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica astatine the Vatican connected May 8, 2025. (REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane)

"It's a super-happy time for each Catholics to person a caller pope," Patrick Brennan, seat of Catholic Legal Studies astatine Villanova University, told Fox News Digital.

"I was sitting successful the workplace erstwhile I discovered, arsenic everyone other did, that it was a Villanova postgraduate who was present the pope."

Pope Leo XIV is simply a postgraduate of the Class of 1977.

Villanova University, a backstage Catholic assemblage 12 miles extracurricular of Philadelphia, enrolls conscionable 6,700 undergraduate students and 3,100 postgraduate and instrumentality students, according to its website.

"It’s a hometown lad not conscionable makes bully but breaks each the molds," Brennan said. "We person an American pope."

FIRST AMERICAN ELECTED PONTIFF, GET TO KNOW POPE LEO XIV

Cardinal Robert Prevost, the recently elected Pope Leo XIV, is from Chicago. (Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters)

Pope Leo XIV is the archetypal pope to ever beryllium elected from the United States.

Despite skepticism that the Sacred College would ballot for an American pope, Brennan says helium was "thrilled" to perceive the announcement of Prevost.

"The radical that I cognize who cognize him deliberation that he's a fantastic priest," Brennan told Fox News Digital. "He's been a fantastic subordinate of the Augustinian order, and we cognize that Pope Francis has entrusted him with large responsibilities. It’s a blessed day."

Photo of Villanova University's entranceway successful Pennsylvania. (Google Maps)  (Google Maps)

Prevost was created a cardinal by Pope Francis successful 2023.

The Augustinian spiritual order, formerly known arsenic the Order of Saint Augustine and profoundly rooted successful the beliefs and teachings of influential theologian Saint Augustine, bishop of Hippo, was established successful the 13th century.

WORLD LEADERS CONGRATULATE POPE LEO XIV, FIRST AMERICAN PONTIFF

Cardinal Robert Prevost, the recently elected Pope Leo XIV, is from Chicago. (REUTERS/Murad Sezer)

"The Augustinians are not arsenic well-known successful the United States arsenic the Jesuits are an important portion of the beingness of the American church," Brennan said.

Pope Francis, a Jesuit and the archetypal to service arsenic a pontificate, made past arsenic the archetypal subordinate of a spiritual bid successful centuries.

Pope Leo XIV has followed suit historically.

"Though they don't person the beingness that the Jesuits do, they bash an astonishing job," Brennan said of the Augustinians. "This volition springiness a immense ballot of assurance for them astir the enactment they're doing successful the Church."

In 1842, the Augustinians founded Villanova University successful downtown Philadelphia until aboriginal relocating to suburban Philly, wherever the assemblage is surrounded by lush greenery and beauteous architecture.

POPE LEO XIV IS ESCORTED OUT OF SISTINE CHAPEL AFTER BECOMING 267TH POPE

Cardinal Robert Prevost, the recently elected Pope Leo XIV, appears connected the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica astatine the Vatican connected May 8, 2025. (Claudia Greco/Reuters)

"When [Pope Leo XIV] would person been successful Villanova successful the 1970s, it was a beauteous suburban field of a tiny Catholic wide arts assemblage with precocious standards and a large emotion of the Catholic contented and a full batch of Villanova spirit," Brennan said. "When I came to Villanova, I was stunned, and I inactive americium by the unthinkable enthusiasm Villanova students and alumni person for their acquisition and for the Villanova community."

Pope Leo XIV celebrated his electoral triumph by praying the supplication of the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with the world.

"I deliberation that that was 1 of the ways helium symbolized his accepted piety," Brennan said.

WHO IS POPE LEO XIV?

Pope Leo XIV graduated from Villanova University successful 1977. (Stoyan Nenov/Reuters)

"His tendency to awesome to the satellite that he's a Catholic who prays the mode that Catholics traditionally do. Pope Francis was known for his large devotion to the blessed Virgin Mary, which is portion of the crushed helium made the antithetic determination to beryllium buried successful the religion of Santa Maria Maggiore."

Pope Francis, soon aft becoming the Bishop of Rome successful 2013, revealed his burial plans.

"Choosing to commune the Hail Mary was a awesome of continuity and piety," Brennan said of Pope Leo XIV.

Finally, for the namesake, Brennan says helium envisions the enactment was made arsenic a symbolic gesture.

CLICK HERE TO GET TO THE FOX NEWS APP

Pope Leo XIV, calved Robert Francis Prevost, was introduced to the satellite by Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti. (Remo Casilli/Reuters)

"He jumped implicit a full century, backmost to the sanction of a pope who died successful 1903 who near the Church a immense bequest of heavy knowing of the spot of a quality idiosyncratic and the Catholic Church successful the modern world," Brennan said.

"I deliberation Pope Leo XIV, by choosing that name, is attaching himself to a bequest that helium can, and I judge intends to, unfastened for a satellite that's changed a large woody and needs caller airy and knowing of the benignant helium astir apt associates and finds successful the satellite of Pope Leo XIII," Brennan said.