Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, has disclosed details of Pope Leo XIV's reaction upon being elected during the recent papal conclave. The 79-year-old cardinal, who participated in the secretive process, said the former Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost accepted the position 'very matter of factly' without showing emotion. 'He took it all in his stride,' Nichols told MailOnline, adding that there was a 'real sense of elation' when the new pope accepted the role.
Cardinal Nichols also suggested that Pope Leo 'won't be afraid of tyrants', drawing a historical parallel to Pope Leo I, who turned back Attila the Hun in 452 AD. When asked if he was referring to US President Donald Trump, Nichols replied: 'You might hear that, I didn't say it.'
The Liverpool-born cardinal explained why the black smoke signalling no election after the first vote was delayed by more than two hours. He blamed papal priest Raniero Cantalamessa, 91, whose sermon overran by almost an hour. 'It must have been an hour or more,' Nichols said, noting that the congregation of 45,000 people outside the Vatican had to exercise patience.
Nichols described the conclave as a 'remarkable sense of fraternity' with cardinals from around the world, free from mobile phone distractions. He said the election was 'very rapid' at just four votes, attributing this to Pope Francis leaving a College of Cardinals that shared his vision. 'Pope Leo is a citizen of the world,' Nichols added, praising his calmness, clarity, and decisiveness.
In a lighter note, Nichols shared his first reaction to Liverpool winning the Premier League, calling it 'just as ecstatic'. Meanwhile, Pope Leo's brother John revealed that the new pontiff watched the film 'Conclave' starring Ralph Fiennes in preparation for entering the Sistine Chapel.
