From Pope Francis to Pope Leo

First-hand testimony by Chiaretto Yan

As soon as I arrived in Rome on May 6, I went immediately to the Basilica of St. Mary Major to pray in front of the tomb of Pope Francis: “Holy Father, you once wrote me in a letter, ‘I encourage you to promote dialogue on the paths of reconciliation and peace. I bless you and all your loved ones from my heart.’ Your words are a guiding light for my path forward. You inspired me to complete my book, My Chinese Dream: Dialogues and Encounters with Christianity. Then you passed away, sending us blessings from Heaven. You had always wanted to visit China. I feel you are smiling on us from Heaven, saying, ‘Why are you crying over there? I am already present in China with you!’ I will dedicate my book to you, Pope Francis, for your love for China and the Chinese people.

Early in the morning of May 7, I participated in the final Mass at St. Peter's Basilica before the cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. Cardinal Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, presided. In his homily, he urged the cardinals to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide them in choosing a pope who would awaken consciences and strengthen moral and spiritual values. The Mass was a significant moment, as it marked the formal start of the conclave process and the cardinals' search for a successor to Pope Francis. He said: “Let us pray, then, that the Holy Spirit, who in the last hundred years has given us a series of truly holy and great pontiffs, will give us a new pope according to God's heart for the good of the church and of humanity.”

On the following day, May 8, black smoke appeared from the Sistine Chapel chimney shortly before noon. I was on my way to where I live, after meeting with my friend, the words “Fumata bianca!” (white smoke) popped up from a WhatsApp group on my cell phone, and messages spiralled. I immediately went to the bus stop on the opposite side of the road. There was much traffic. I was able to jump into a taxi. Many roads were blocked already, the driver dropped me off next to the bridge leading to St. Peter’s. The whole Via della Conciliazione was jam-packed with people clapping and cheering “Viva Papa!”

I could see Pope Leo on one of the big screens. It was a moment of enormous emotions. Despite all the excitement, “peace be with you!” were the first words proclaimed by Pope Leo from the balcony, declaring that, just like the Good Shepherd, he would lay down his life for God’s folk as Jesus did. His powerful declaration and Papal blessing echoed from the loudspeakers following the memory of the faint voice of Pope Francis on Easter, making Pope Leo XIV’s blessing ever more powerful, reaching all corners of the earth.

Besides this strong message for peace and invitation for us to be bridge builders and instruments of evangelization, he emphasized dialogue, encounters and synodality. After this first blessing “urbi et orbi” of his holiness Pope Leo XIV and the final solemn blessing at the end, I was particularly impressed by his continuity as the successor of Pope Francis and, above all, as the successor of Peter.

The Church is guided by the Holy Spirit, and I am ever more convinced of the collective discernment and wisdom of the cardinals who chose Pope Leo. Within one week of his papacy, he welcomed Eastern church leaders gathered in Rome, fostering unity without proselytism. Already as a bishop in Peru, he was famous for ecumenism and interfaith dialogue, serving refugees, the poor and marginalized. In his first weekend as Pope, he paid a surprise visit to the Basilica of St. Mary Major to pray in front of the tomb of Francis, and visited the Marian shrine of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano near Rome.

In his first meeting with the press, he thanked thousands of international journalists still gathered in Rome and urged them to be peacemakers, “Let’s disarm our words to disarm the earth.” I had a chance to see him at close distance. He is always attentive to what people say and engages in a dialogue. We also see he dares to speak and act gracefully in this turbulent world of our times. I am looking forward to the inauguration mass of Pope Leo this coming Sunday, May 18, before I depart for China in the evening. I am sure of more amazements and God’s surprises to come.

Chiaretto Yan is a contributor to the USCCA blog. He is an author and speaker on topics related to the Church in China. He teaches in a Catholic seminary in Macau and at the National Seminary in Beijing. Orbis Books is planning to publish his book, My Chinese Dream, this year.

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