The Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, congratulated Pope Leo XIV for succeeding Pope Francis on Thursday, May 8.

He expressed confidence that the new pope will continue to promote "the spirit of dialogue, peace, and cooperation between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church."

"In a world facing multiple spiritual, economic, and social crises, the united voice of Christians is more necessary than ever to offer a message of hope, solidarity, and love," said Patriarch Daniel in the Church’s official newspaper.

At the same time, the head of the Romanian Orthodox Church expressed his hope that the pope will continue to support Romanian Orthodox believers who live in large numbers in various Western European countries, especially in Italy, as "consistently" as His Holiness’s predecessors, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, have done.

On May 8, American cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, 69, became the first pope in history originally from the United States. He also holds Peruvian citizenship, which he obtained in 2015 after spending a large part of his religious life there. The new Supreme Pontiff chose the papal name Leo XIV.

Born in Chicago in 1955 to parents of Spanish and Franco-Italian descent, Prevost served as an altar boy and was ordained in 1982. In 2014, Francis made him Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru. He became archbishop in January 2023 and within a few months Francis made him a cardinal.

Prevost is believed to have shared Francis' views on migrants, the poor and the environment. In choosing the name Leo, he has signified a commitment to dynamic social issues, according to experts cited by the BBC.

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo: screen capture Vatican Media video)