Pope Leo XIV has reportedly made history as the first known sitting pope to participate in a United States election, casting his ballot ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
The Vatican confirmed that the Chicago-born pontiff, who became the first American to lead the Catholic Church, voted by mail in Chicago.
According to the Vatican, Pope Leo has consistently exercised his voting rights as a United States citizen whenever eligible, emphasising the importance of civic participation and citizens’ involvement in democratic processes.
His participation in the election comes amid reported tensions between the pontiff and US President Donald Trump over immigration policies and the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
Pope Leo has repeatedly spoken against violence and called for peaceful approaches to resolving international disputes. Trump, however, had previously criticised the pontiff, describing him as weak on crime and ineffective on foreign policy.
In April, the Pope urged citizens to encourage political leaders to embrace peace and reject violence. He also called for increased civic engagement during a general audience at St Peter’s Square in September, urging people not to remain indifferent to issues affecting society.
Before his election as pope, when he was known as Robert Francis Prevost, Leo reportedly participated in Democratic Party primaries in 2008 and 2010, as well as some Republican primaries.
The Vatican also confirmed that he exercised his voting rights while residing in Peru, where he spent nearly two decades as a missionary.
Pope Leo XIV holds American and Peruvian citizenship and currently leads the Catholic Church, which has approximately 1.4 billion members worldwide.
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