It has been revealed that newly elected Pope Leo XIV is huge fan of one particular British TV show in particular, which has come as a surprise to many.
Last week, white smoke billowed above the Sistine Chapel, the signal that cardinals had selected a new pontiff on the second day of the conclave.
The new pope, whose real name is Robert Francis Prevost, is from Chicago, Illinois, and is a religious leader with global experience having spent much of his career as a missionary in South America.
Speaking with the BBC, Father George Donaghy, who resided near the Pope in Rome, revealed that he has “good sense of humour.”
“He preached on when Susan Boyle was in Britain’s Got Talent and he saw her on that, so he’s a very down to earth guy, he’s very in tune with the world,” said Father George.
Susan took to the Britain’s Got Talent stage and mesmerised audiences worldwide with her performance of I Dreamed a Dream in her first audition.
The episode was viewed by over 10 million people, drawing praise from the Les Misérables producer, Cameron Mackintosh, and Susan’s idol, singer Elaine Paige.
She performed another musical number in her semi-final, Memory from Cats, and won the public vote.
Despite being the final’s favourite that year, Susan lost out in second place to dance group Diversity in a final watched by 17.3 million viewers.
The conclave, the process that begins the election of the pope, begun on Wednesday May 7th.
Following Pope Leo’s election, the new pontiff appeared on the balcony to greet the people of the Vatican City.
The new pope will now be led to a small room next to the Sistine Chapel where he will put on the white papal robes for the first time.
Before the 133 cardinals made their choice on the second day of the conclave, four favourites had emerged to succeed pope Francis.
According to insiders cardinals Pietro Parolin (Secretary of State), Peter Erdov (Hungary), Jean-Marc Aveline (France) and Pierbattista Pizzaballa (Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem) were the names at the front of the running.
Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88 after a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and irreversible heart failure, according to the Vatican.
Following his original diagnosis of bronchitis, Pope Francis was brought to the hospital on February 14, and it was later discovered that he had been diagnosed with dual pneumonia.
Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the leader of the Pope’s medical team, claims that the pope experienced two serious health crises between late February and early March.
Regarding the pope’s second medical crisis, Dr. Alfieri told the Italian daily Corriere della Sera in late March: “That evening was terrible. He knew, like us, that he might not survive the night. We saw the man who was suffering.”
“His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalised.”
“With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”
