CHARLOTTE — Celebrations are underway after Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected to succeed Pope Francis to become the 267th person to lead the Catholic church.
He will serve as Pope Leo XIV and will be the first American to hold the position.
Channel 9’s Ken Lemon spoke with the Diocese of Charlotte about the historic moment.
In September, Bishop Michael Martin said he had a one-on-one meeting with the man who is now the pope.
Martin said Pope Leo speaks calmly, but he is well informed about issues within churches all around the world, including Charlotte.
He told Channel 9 during that meeting, he got to see his character face to face.
“He had a certain calm about him, but that was more appropriate in that one-on-one meeting and his interest in me and his interest in what was happening here in Charlotte,” said Martin.
Martin didn’t give more details about the meeting, but he said he got the sense that Pope Leo was more interested in what was happening with the bishop than what was happening with himself.
He said that’s the kind of pope the Catholic Church now has, someone who will encourage followers to listen to each other rather than fighting to be understood.
VIDEO: Tens of thousands file into St. Peter’s Basilica to pay final respects to Pope Francis
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