In his first appearance, Pope Leo offers three big clues about his papacy

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States appears on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, May 8, 2025. REUTERS/Murad Sezer

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - From his first moments on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Leo XIV gave three important clues about what kind of leader of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church he will be.

Leo, formerly U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected by the world's cardinals on Thursday as the new pope on the second day of the conclave to choose a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month.