Rahul Gandhi congratulates Pope Leo, hopes for peace & compassion

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday congratulated Cardinal Robert Prevost, who was elected as the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church on Thursday.

"Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Prevost on his election as Pope Leo XIV. May his leadership foster peace, compassion, and service to humanity. My best wishes to the global Catholic community on this joyous occasion," Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X.

Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Prevost on his election as Pope Leo XIV. May his leadership foster peace, compassion, and service to humanity. My best wishes to the global Catholic community on this joyous occasion.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 9, 2025

Prevost (69), a missionary who spent his career ministering in Peru and leads the Vatican's powerful office of bishops, took the name Leo XIV.