Why the first ever American pope Leo broke major tradition by speaking English at his first mass

There is actually a reason as to why the the first-ever American pope broke a major tradition by speaking English at his first mass.

Just yesterday (8 May), Pope Leo, born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was elected as the 267th pontiff. The following morning (9 May), the 69-year-old partook in his first mass where the world looked on as they heard both his singing voice and notable Chicago accent.

The news that the Bishop of Rome had delivered a portion of his first mass in English clearly caught the attention of people online with many rushing to social media to share their thoughts with one X user writing: "The new Pope speaking in English with an American accent!!! What a jolt for me."

A second chimed in: "The Pope is speaking English, with an American accent."

"The pope is gonna have an American accent and for some reason that is cracking me up like no other. The Pope should not be an American," hit out a third.

A fourth declared: "You simply cannot be Pope if you have an American accent."

"A Pope with any American twang is really interesting, culturally," pointed out a fifth, while another echoed: "An American pope with an American accent doesn't sit right with me..."

And a final X user added: "I can't imagine a Pope with an American accent when reading Latin. It's horrible."

Pope Leo, 69, was elected the 267th pontiff on Thursday (8 May) (The Vatican)

What did Pope Leo say during his first mass?

While he may have initially addressed the public in both Italian and Spanish during his appearance on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica - a choice which reflects his extensive missionary work in Peru and his familiarity with Vatican protocols, where Italian is commonly used - Pope Leo opted for a multilingual speech in today's mass.

He begun by addressing the Cardinals inside the Sistine Chapel, saying they have called him to be blessed with the mission of leading the Church.

"I know I can rely on each and every one of you to walk with me as we continue as a Church, as a community of friends of Jesus, as believers, to announce the good news, to announce the Gospel," the pontiff said.

Pope Leo then continued his sermon, speaking in Italian, as he told cardinals that he hopes his election can help the Catholic Church bring light to the 'dark nights of this world' and that he can be a 'faithful administrator' for the entire Church.

He also acknowledged that the church must do more work in places where there is a 'lack of faith' as part of its mission.

"Even today, there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent," he told the Cardinals, adding that areas where 'technology, money, success, power or pleasure' are preferred are 'where our missionary outreach is desperately needed.'

The Chicago-born pope delivered a multilingual speech during his first mass (The Vatican)

Why did Pope Leo speak English during his first mass?

This linguistic shift from the expected Italian to his mother tongue could be interpreted as a gesture to connect with English-speaking Catholics worldwide, acknowledging his American roots while emphasising the Church's global unity.

It broke tradition as previous pontiffs haven’t used English in such a setting as most newly elected popes deliver their first homily in Italian or Latin, and sometimes incorporate other widely spoken languages like Spanish or French depending on their background.

English, however, is rarely used as the opening language of a papal homily, especially in such a formal and symbolically-loaded moment like the first mass in the Sistine Chapel.

His choice to speak in his own language further lighted his North American roots.

What are Pope Leo's beliefs?

Immigration

It's reported that the new leader ‘has chosen a name widely associated with the social justice legacy of Pope Leo XIII, who was pontiff at a time of epic upheaval in the world, the time of the industrial revolution, the beginning of Marxism, and widespread immigration'.

LGBTQ+ community

When it comes to LGBTQ+ views, in 2012 he expressed criticism of entertainment media that had 'sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the gospel', which included the 'homosexual lifestyle' and 'alternative families comprised of same-sex partners and their adopted children'. Whether those views have changed overtime is yet to be seen.

Poverty

Pope Leo was formerly the prior general of the Order of St. Augustine, which was a community of friars who were dedicated to poverty, service and evangelisation.

It is believed he shares similar views on the matter to Pope Francis as he drew his clergy's attention to his teachings on poverty.

Donald Trump

Old tweets from the pope about some of Donald Trump's actions have resurfaced and it's safe to say the new pope isn't Trump's number one fan.

One damning post he reshared from Cardinal Blase J. Cupich in 2018 read: “There is nothing remotely Christian, American, or morally defensible about a policy that takes children away from their parents and warehouses them in cages. This is being carried out in our name and the shame is on us all.”

Women in the church

In 2023, Pope Leo told Vatican News: “On several occasions we have seen that their point of view is an enrichment." The role of women in the Church is something people will be looking out for with Pope Leo as he supported his predecessor’s devision to allow women to join the Dicastery for Bishops for the first time.

Climate change

Speaking about climate change last year, the newly named pope has said it was time to make moves ‘from words to action’.