In the ancient halls of the Vatican, where Latin phrases and Italian accents have echoed for centuries, the distinct cadence of Chicago English now resonates through St. Peter’s Basilica. Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, has not only made history as the first American pontiff but is rapidly distinguishing his papacy through both symbolic gestures and substantive positions that signal potentially transformative changes for the 1.3 billion-member Catholic Church.
THE AMERICAN VOICE HEARD AROUND THE WORLD
When Pope Leo XIV delivered his first Mass on Friday, May 9—just one day after white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney—the content of his homily was temporarily overshadowed by something few had anticipated: the distinct sound of a Chicago accent emanating from the Chair of St. Peter.
“The Pope is speaking English, with an American accent,” one stunned observer posted on social media platform X, capturing the sentiment of millions worldwide who witnessed this unprecedented cultural shift in real time. Another wrote: “The new Pope speaking in English with an American accent!!! What a jolt for me.”
The reactions spanned from amusement to disbelief, with one user commenting, “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.” Another expressed their cultural disorientation more bluntly: “You simply cannot be Pope if you have an American accent.”
Vatican communications expert Dr. Maria Rossi explains the significance: “For centuries, the papacy has been associated with European, primarily Italian, cultural markers. Even non-Italian popes like John Paul II from Poland or Benedict XVI from Germany approached their public role through distinctly European sensibilities. Pope Leo XIV’s unapologetic American English represents more than just a linguistic shift—it’s a powerful symbol of the Church’s evolving global identity.”
