Pope's Peru work was Yankee Doodle Handy

Leo downplays his Americanness to nab papacy

- ANDERS ANGLESEY

POPE Leo XIV made a "deliberate" move to downplay his Americanness that ultimately saw him win the race for the papacy, an expert has said.

Cardinals rapidly congregated around Chicago-born Robert Prevost, naming him the first American Pope in the Catholic Church's history.

Despite being widely considered to be a moderate who could satisfy both conservative and liberal wings in the Vatican, his Americanness was viewed as being a major stumbling block that could topple his chances even before the first ballot was cast.

But, remarkably, a brief conclave charged Pope Leo with leading the Catholic Church following the death of the influential Francis.

Dr Miles Pattenden, programme director at the Europeaum network of leading universities faculty of history, said Pope Leo's experience as an administrator had won him plaudits in the Vatican.