Seminary students hold the flag of Vatican City and the U.S. flag to signify the election of the first American pope. Students paraded through the St. Thomas campus to mark the election Thursday. (Victor Mshihiri/The Crest) 
St. John Vianney Seminary student Nick Deutsch waves to the crowd. (Victor Mshihiri/The Crest) 
The campus pope rode in a St. Thomas tiger truck in a parade around campus. (Victor Mshihiri/The Crest) 
St. Thomas students gather in Scooters to watch Pope Leo XIV’s first papal address. (Victor Mshihiri/The Crest) 
Students celebrate at the selection of the first American pope. (Victor Mshihiri/The Crest)
St. Thomas students and community members gathered on campus Thursday to celebrate the election of the new pope, Pope Leo XIV.
Pope Leo XIV, or Robert Prevost, was elected after four ballot voting sessions and two days, according to the Associated Press. St. Thomas students, staff and faculty gathered in Scooters to watch his first papal address.
“It was amazing to see all the excitement here on campus, and I think that is probably resonating throughout the world,” Director of Music, Liturgy and Sacred Arts Jacob Benda said.
The watch party was interrupted, though, when St. Thomas students, led by seminarians in black suits with earpieces, gathered for a parade around campus. One seminarian, Nick Deutsch, played the role of the pope and rode in a St. Thomas tiger truck, standing and waving at the crowd of St. Thomas students.
Surrounded by fellow seminarians waving flags, Deutsch paraded up the three flights of stairs in Anderson Student Center. Students gathered and chanted, asking for a speech.
“Work hard, and pray harder,” Deutsch shouted from the balcony.
The seminarians and UST “pope” concluded their parade around North Campus on the roof of St. John Vianney College Seminary, where spectators could see white smoke coming from the roof to signify the new pope, American flags and seminarians holding crosses.
“I’m just texting my parents, like, I love it here. Like, I love that they’re doing this,” junior Andrea White said. “This is so fun, and I think it’s good that they’re doing it because it makes people aware…I didn’t know that this was even going on today.”
The celebration revolved around the theme of optimism— a message that Pope Francis emphasized during his time as the leader of the Catholic church.
“We’ve been really preparing for this since Pope Francis passed away,” first-year and seminarian Christopher Foote said. “We have a new pope, and there’s hope, and there’s faith that comes with that, knowing that God is still working in the world.”
Faith leaders on campus echoed his sentiment.
“I just hope it carries forward the legacy of Pope Francis and the care for the least among us. And so we’re very eager to hear more about him,” said Joe Plante, associate vice president of the Morrison Family College of Health.
Pope Leo XIV is also the first American pope. He was born in Chicago and spent most of his career ministering in Peru, according to the Associated Press.
“We’re incredibly shocked to see an American pope, even though we knew that his name was out there,” SJV Rector the Rev. Jonathan Kelly said. “…We’re excited about that.”
The Rev. Chris Collins, the vice president for mission at the University of St. Thomas, reflected on the pope’s election and the sense of hopefulness it brought in an email statement to The Crest.
“It’s just a great moment of joy for the Church around the world to have a new leader and source of unity, confirming a way into the future,” Rev. Collins wrote. “… (The pope) is also someone with intimate knowledge of and experience with the diversity and unity of the Church around the world, which is an important sensibility today, certainly.”
Sabrina Thompson can be reached at thom4836@stthomas.edu.
Giovanni Mariani can be reached at mari6061@stthomas.edu.
Cecilia Wallace can be reached at wall1238@stthomas.edu.
