New Pope Leo XIV expected to reassert church's global role

He shared his views on Espreso TV.

“The new Pope is a monk, an Augustinian, a missionary who has worked extensively on sacred missions, and also served as a bishop in Peru. He has deep knowledge of canon law as well. It’s hard to predict the direction of his leadership for now, since every new Pope presents himself as a successor to his predecessor,” Onopriienko noted.

According to him, Pope Leo XIV is seen as a progressive bishop and cardinal.

“Right now, everyone is talking about his Twitter exchange with Vance. So, the expectation is that he will have his own opinions, a firm stance, and will guide the Church toward reclaiming the leadership role it has somewhat lost in recent times,” Onopriienko added.

• On Thursday, May 8, the cardinals elected a new Pope on the third attempt: Robert Francis Prevost from the United States, who took the name of Leo XIV.
• Andrij Dobriansky, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, said that the election of the first American Pope shifted the media focus in the U.S., even overshadowing Donald Trump's major political plans.