President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said he hopes Pope Leo XIV "will continue to bring the Church closer to the poor and disadvantaged." Agence France-Presse and Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
MANILA (UPDATE) — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Friday congratulated Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost on his election as the new pontiff, who will now be known as Pope Leo XIV.
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"On behalf of the Philippines, I congratulate Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States on his election as the successor of Pope Francis," Marcos said.
Marcos was among the world leaders who sent their congratulatory message to the new pope, who is set to lead the 1.4 billion Catholic worldwide.
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The President said he hopes Pope Leo XIV "will continue to bring the Church closer to the poor and disadvantaged."
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"The Filipino people are also praying for the new pope's strength and good health as he leads the faithful with grace, wisdom and compassion," he added.
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Vice President Sara Duterte also congratulated Pope Leo XIV for being named as the new head of the Roman Catholic Church and its billions of followers.
“Under Pope Leo XIV’s stewardship, we look forward to a Church that fosters dialogue across faiths and cultures, promotes solidarity among nations, and tirelessly works for peace,” she said.
Duterte said she prays for the new pontiff’s “wisdom, courage, and health in abundance.”
“May the Philippines always be counted among those who uphold and advance the mission of the universal Church under your venerated leadership,” she said.
Pope Leo XIV — whose real name is Robert Francis Prevost — is the first pontiff from Northern America.
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Prior to being the new head of the Catholic Church, the American-Peruvian Cardinal has visited the Philippines several times—as Superior General of the Augustinian Order.
Born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago, Prevost attended a minor seminary of the Order of St Augustine in St Louis as a novice before graduating from Philadelphia's Villanova University, an Augustinian institution, with a degree in mathematics.
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The 69-year-old Archbishop-Bishop emeritus of Chiclayo, Peru, was made a cardinal by Francis in 2023 after being named prefect of the dicastery, one of the Vatican's most important departments -- and a post that introduced him to all key players in the Church. — With reports from Agence France-Presse
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