Pope voted in U.S. election because he's "proud to be an American"

Pope Leo XIV, who became the archetypal sitting pontiff to ballot successful a U.S. election, said Friday helium is "proud to beryllium an American and to workout my right" to vote.

His remarks, made to reporters en way to Latin America for a 12-day trip, travel aft the Vatican confirmed the U.S.-born pontiff had voted via mail-in ballot successful his autochthonal Chicago. He declined to remark connected the result of the midterm elections, which gave power of Congress to the Democrats successful a repudiation of President Trump. Instead, helium pointed to the connection released by the Vatican past week that cited his longstanding content successful civic participation.

The pope, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, "has exercised his close to ballot arsenic a United States citizen, whenever helium was eligible to bash so," the Holy See property bureau said successful an Oct. 30 statement.

"The Holy Father expresses his content successful the close and the work of citizens to enactment successful antiauthoritarian processes," the Vatican said successful a statement.

The pope has a agelong past of civic engagement successful the U.S., the Vatican said, confirming that during his astir 2 decades arsenic a missionary and past bishop successful Peru, Leo voted whenever helium was eligible. He holds U.S. and Peruvian citizenship.

The Associated Press reported Leo, arsenic Robert Prevost, antecedently voted successful 5 superior elections since 2000 — connected the Democratic ballots successful 2008 and 2019 and Republican ballots successful 2012, 2014 and 2016.

Leo said Friday that helium hadn't been capable to ballot successful Peru's caller predetermination since absentee ballots "aren't possible."

"But I would person done it. It's a bully thing," helium said, according to the AP.

U.S. national instrumentality allows American citizens, adjacent those who enactment for overseas governments, to clasp their citizenship.

The 71-year-old pope is connected a three-nation, 12-day circuit conscionable 3 weeks aft helium underwent surgery to region a cancerous tumor from his close lung. He was cleared to question connected Oct. 26 — 2 weeks aft his surgery.

"I americium precise blessed to beryllium present myself. I cognize immoderate radical were doubtful astir this travel taking place," Leo told reporters erstwhile helium greeted them successful the backmost of the plane. "I confess that from the archetypal day, I had nary doubt. I was convinced that this travel had to spell guardant and precise blessed to say, praise the Lord and acknowledgment to fantastic aesculapian assistance, I americium present today, I think, successful reasonably bully shape."

He acknowledged, though, that helium hadn't had a accidental to play tennis yet.

"Not yet, but I will," helium said.

On Oct. 13, doctors removed the little lobe of Leo's right lung after discovering a malignant tumor. The cancer, identified arsenic a lung adenocarcinoma, was discovered accidentally during a regular abdominal examination, his doctors said. The cognition was successful, without complications, and Leo was discharged from the hospital on Oct. 17.

"Early detection is evidently the champion mode to go, and truthful regular checkups are a blessing," Leo said, crediting his betterment to "trusting God, bully doctors, bully surgeons, and wide I deliberation a steadfast lifestyle."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

In:

• Election
• Pope Leo XIV