Europe loses influence even in choosing the new Pope
Once again, it has been a conclave full of surprises: the election of the American Robert Francis Prevost Martínez, of the Order of Saint Augustine, has been welcomed by the Catholic faithful, although in Europe it was taken for granted that the new pontiff would be the Italian Pietro Parolin. This is a sign of the new times, with Eurocentrism in decline.
In Rome, it is often said that whoever enters a conclave as a pope always leaves as a cardinal, and this occasion was no exception: on the feast day of Our Lady of Pompeii, 8 May, a historic moment for the Church took place with the election of Prevost Martínez as the 267th Supreme Pontiff, succeeding Pope Francis. He will take the name Leo XIV.
The conclave, which lasted two days, culminated with white smoke emerging from the Sistine Chapel, signalling the election of the American cardinal, born in Chicago in 1955. There were four votes, two black smoke signals and the third white.
‘They could have voted for a technician, but they chose an American missionary, who has Peruvian nationality and extensive priestly and missionary experience with the poor in Peru. He speaks English, Spanish, Italian and other languages, and I think he could emerge as a conciliatory figure between all the interests in the Roman Curia,’ said a source consulted in the Vatican.
Rather than choosing based on nationality, William Miles, professor of religion and politics at Northeastern University, indicates that it was the weight of theopolitics that counted in the conclave in a polarised Church. ‘More important than the Pope's nationality or ethnicity is his stance on the issues that are polarising the Catholic world.’
Speaking to Northeastern Global News, the researcher points out that the conclave has been much more political or theopolitical because it is not only a matter of faith but also of taking a stance on issues that are galvanising contemporary society.
‘The Catholic Church is no less immune to broader politics than any other institution. We are living in a highly polarised and polarising world, and even the Pope and the papal candidates are human beings,’ according to Miles.
Each pontiff has had his moment in history: Pope John Paul II and his influence on the Cold War with his anti-communist views; he was a staunch Pole in favour of freedom; his successor, the German Benedict XVI, failed to achieve geopolitical notoriety because internal scandals absorbed much of his pontificate; meanwhile, Pope Francis had to deal with a profound generational change and a much more belligerent geopolitics marked by terrorism, climate change, the coronavirus pandemic and the invasion of Russian troops in Ukraine.
In addition, he was obsessed with expanding the Catholic faith. On 13 March 2013, when Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected Supreme Pontiff, there were 1.253 billion Catholics in the world, according to the National Catholic Register. By 2024, the number of Catholics worldwide had risen to 1.406 billion.
The greatest expansion has occurred in Africa and Asia, while Europe is experiencing stagnation. However, it is the American continent that is experiencing its greatest splendour, and it is hoped that the new Pope will continue to emphasise this issue.
‘Dearest brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting from the risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for the flock of God. I too would like this greeting to reach our hearts and all families and all peoples and the Earth... Peace be with you,’ said Prevost Martínez in his first greeting from the papal balcony of St. Peter's Basilica before thousands of faithful gathered below.
Field work with the people
The Italian media pointed out that there could always be a surprise, as was the case with Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who was considered something of an outsider.
Who is Robert Francis Prevost Martínez? He is the second Pope to come from the American continent and the first to be born in the United States. He is 69 years old and has spent much of his clerical life in Peru.
He completed part of his studies at the minor seminary of the Order of Saint Augustine in 1973 and obtained a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Villanova University in 1977. That year, he joined the Augustinian order, taking his first vows in 1978 and his solemn vows in 1981.
In 1982, he was ordained a priest by Archbishop Jean Jadot. He later obtained a licentiate and a doctorate in Canon Law at the Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome.
In Peru, he did much missionary work in the diocese of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023, until Pope Francis called him to the Vatican and appointed him head of the Dicastery for Bishops, a powerful Vatican office that oversees episcopal appointments worldwide.
Regarding his election as St. Peter's successor, Daniel Rober, president of Catholic Studies at the University of the Sacred Heart in Connecticut, told Newsweek that Prevost Martínez gained more support than Parolin because he has greater administrative management skills. ‘In the Vatican, he is seen as a figure who builds bridges between cultural and geographical divisions.’
One of the first reactions after the name of the new pontiff was announced came from US President Donald Trump: ‘It is a great honour to realise that he is the first American pope,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social. ‘How exciting, and what a great honour for our country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!’
Although Trump expressed his admiration for the appointment, Pope Leo XIV is known for his outspoken views on social justice and migration, and has previously criticised US immigration policies and rhetoric.
His election has caused some suspicion in Europe, given the current geopolitical and geo-economic tensions. At the time, several media outlets, such as La Stampa, La Reppublica and Il Messaggero, pointed out that Trump's presence at Pope Francis' funeral was intended to influence the future election of the Supreme Pontiff. The same was said of French President Emmanuel Macron, who was also interested in promoting a French cardinal, according to the newspaper Corriere Della Sera.
The truth is that most people did not expect it, although it was La Stampa that warned a few hours before the conclave that ‘Prevost could be the surprise of the night’.
Continuing expansion
According to the 2025 Pontifical Yearbook and the 2023 Annuario Statisticum Ecclesiae, there has been an increase in the world's Catholic population, from 1.39 billion Catholics in 2022 to 1.406 billion in 2023.
Africa has seen the highest growth, with the Catholic population on the continent increasing by 3.31%, from 272 million in 2022 to 281 million in 2023. This growth is particularly dynamic, with countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo leading the region with almost 55 million Catholics and others such as Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya also experiencing significant increases in the number of faithful. Africa currently accounts for 20% of the world's Catholic population.
Meanwhile, the American continent remains the region with the highest proportion of Catholics in the world, with 47.8% of the global total. In South America, Brazil has the largest number of Catholics, with 182 million, representing 13% of the global total; Argentina, Colombia and Paraguay also stand out, with more than 90% of the population being Catholic.
In terms of distribution, 27.4% of Catholics in the Americas live in South America; 6.6% are in North America and 13.8% in Central America.
In Asia, the Catholic population grew by 0.6% between 2022 and 2023. Although the region accounts for only 11% of the world's total Catholics, countries such as the Philippines and India have significant numbers, with 93 million Catholics.
Europe has 20.4% of the world's Catholics and remains the least dynamic continent in terms of growth. The European Catholic population increased by 0.2% between 2022 and 2023, reflecting an almost stagnant dynamic.
The only exceptions are Italy, Poland and Spain, with a high proportion of more than 90% of their population identifying as Catholic. However, the European continent continues to show a slower growth rate.
With the new Pope Leo XIV, it is hoped that he will continue the legacy of his predecessor by promoting a policy of inclusion, open doors and expansion of the faith. His election is not without reason: the Pew Research Centre highlights that, in the last ten years, the Catholic faith has experienced a considerable boom in the United States, to the extent that 20% of adults in that country consider themselves Catholic.
‘This makes it the second largest religious group after Protestants. According to data from the 2024 Census, it is estimated that there are some 53 million Catholics in the country: the United States has more Catholics than all other countries except Brazil, Mexico and the Philippines,’ according to this organisation.
The fact that Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, wore the cross imposed on Ash Wednesday on his forehead throughout all his official engagements that day was interpreted as another sign of the new times within the White House.
There is already anticipation here in Europe to see what Pope Leo XIV's relationship with Trump will be like and whether or not he will remain silent on the bombings against the Palestinians or take a lower profile in condemning the invasion of Ukraine. ‘Trump will want to be the first to bring him to the United States and take a papal bath,’ says an Italian correspondent. For now, Habemus Papam.