ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Pope Leo revealed on Tuesday that at the moment of his election as leader of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church, he turned to God with a simple message: "You're in charge and you lead the way".
In a press conference as he flew home from Lebanon, Leo, the first U.S. pope, spoke publicly for the first time about what it was like being given the duty to lead the global Church.
Leo said that while the world's cardinals were meeting in a secret conclave in May to choose the successor to the late Pope Francis, who led the global Church for 12 years, he began to realize he might be chosen.
'IN THE HANDS OF GOD'
"I resigned myself to the fact when I saw how things were going – I said, 'this could be a reality,'" said the pope, 70. "I took a deep breath. I said, 'Here we go, Lord, you're in charge and you lead the way'".
"I said to a reporter the day before I was elected ... I simply said everything is in the hands of God and I believe that profoundly," he said.
Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, was a relative unknown on the world stage before his election. He had served for decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru and only became a top Vatican official in 2022.
Another cardinal in the conclave revealed shortly afterwards that Prevost put his head in his hands inside the Vatican's Sistine Chapel as the daunting prospect of the papacy loomed.
STILL ADJUSTING TO MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
Leo said on Tuesday he is still adjusting to the media spotlight his role attracts. He joked that journalists often try to interpret his facial expressions.
"My face is very expressive, but I am oftentimes amused by how the journalists interpret my face," he said. "Sometimes I get really great ideas from all of you, because you think you can read my mind or my face."
"You are not always correct," Leo added.
The pope, completing his first trip overseas to Turkey and Lebanon, also discussed plans for future foreign visits. He said he would like to travel to Africa on his next trip, and suggested Algeria could be a destination.
Leo, who pleaded for peace in the Middle East and hosted inter-religious meetings on his first trip, said he would want to pursue Muslim-Christian dialogue in Algeria.
Other countries he mentioned were Argentina, Uruguay and Peru, but said it was uncertain whether those would be next year or in 2027.
Joking about the excitement his election sparked in Peru, he said: "I think they would receive me."
(Reporting by Joshua McElweeEditing by Frances Kerry)
