PHOTOS, VIDEO: Pope Leo XIV in Hungary

The new pope, Leo XIV, previously known as Robert Francis Prevost before yesterday, has already been to Hungary at least once. During his visit, he met President Katalin Novák and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán since he was a member of the delegation of Pope Francis two years ago when Francis was on an Apostolic Journey in Hungary.

Pope Francis visited Hungary twice. He was here in September 2021 to hold the “Statio Orbis” mass on Budapest’s Heroes’ Square, concluding the International Eucharistic Congress. Then, he travelled to Budapest with a delegation in April 2024 when he spent three days in the Hungarian capital meeting with leaders of the church, the prime minister, the president, young people, refugees, representatives of the diplomatic corps, poor people and even visited the Greek Catholic Community in Budapest. That is when the new pope, Leo XIV, accompanied him as Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost.

• Check out Pope Francis speaking Hungarian HERE

Cardinal Prevost was then the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. That was his first official visit abroad bearing that title. The following video was posted by Prevost on his social media site. You can spot him at 0:18:

#PopeInHungary “Pero la paz nunca vendrá de la persecución de los propios intereses estratégicos, sino más bien de políticas capaces de mirar al conjunto” https://t.co/uarGcb5YAF pic.twitter.com/B9QqGp5CcH— Vatican News (@vaticannews_es) April 28, 2023

The 69-year-old Holy Father won the support of his fellow cardinals in the fourth round of the ballot.

Robert Prevost’ election as Pope had been in the air, Cardinal Erdő said

The election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost to Pope had already been in the air, it was not a surprise but it is all the more reason for joy, Cardinal Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest and Primate of Hungary, said on Friday. He added that proof to this was the swift election of the new Pope.

Erdő said the new Pope represented a link between North America and South America because he is well known in both regions, as well as in Rome, and he was also internationally known as the Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine. “His range of experiences and personal connections played a role rather than his citizenship or nationality,” Erdő added.

Read also:

• Pontificate of Pope Leo XIV began: HERE are the messages of the Hungarian churches, PM Orbán, President Sulyok, and the Hungarian Catholic Church