A Peruvian theologian has defended Pope Leo XIV against criticisms of how he handled abuse cases in Peru.

"He was one of the few bishops that supported us and helped us, and actually he helped the suppression of Sodalicio, which was a community with lots of cases of abuse," Rocio Figueroa told the BBC.

She added that Robert Prevost was "one of the few bishops" who supported survivors.

The narrative that he covered up these cases was "made up" by the Sodalicio community, says Figueroa, who headed the Women’s Section in the Pontifical Council for the Laity.

The Sodalitium is a Peru-based Catholic group that has been accused of committing physical and sexual abuse for decades.

"Prevost was the one who also was very strong against Sodalicio and against the cover-up, and supporting the victims of abuse.

"So I think really that was really fake news and done by people who wanted to damage his image because he was defending us as victims," Figueroa, who is herself a survivor of abuse, told BBC's Newsday programme.

Indonesia's ambassador to the Vatican, Michael Trias Kuncahyono, says he hopes the new Pope will continue the spirit of Pope Francis, who was widely recognised for his focus on social justice and marginsalised communities.

"In his opening speech, Pope Leo XIV praised Pope Francis and his spirit," Trias said.

"As the name [Leo] implies, that spirit will be brought by the new Pope, of course, in many social issues that concern the church."

Some residents in the province of Papua say Pope Leo XIV, who visited the province in 2003, has a special place in their hearts.

"I was very impressed with his intelligence, simplicity, and humility," wrote Facebook user Abuna Markus Malar Osa.

Some 3.1% of Indonesia's population - about 8.6 million people - identify as Catholics.

Pope Francis visited Indonesia last September as part of a 12-day trip to the region - the longest he had taken during his papacy.

Before he became Pope, it appears Robert Prevost did not shy away from occasionally challenging the views of the Trump administration.

In February, an X account under his name shared a commentary that highlighted US Vice President JD Vance's "wrong" interpretation of Christian doctrine.

"JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others," read the headline of the piece published by the National Catholic Reporter.

A week later, the X account shared another article, published by The Jesuit Review, which commented that Catholics "cannot support a rhetoric that demonizes immigrants as dangerously criminal simply because they have crossed the border in search of a better life for themselves and their families".

The BBC has contacted the Vatican but has not independently confirmed the account, which was created in 2011, belongs to the new pontiff.

JD Vance earlier congratulated the Pope, urging American Catholics and other Christians to "pray for his successful work leading the church".

Read more here for how the rest of Donald Trump's administration has reacted to the appointment of Pope Leo XIV.

Image source, Getty Images

Australian PM Anthony Albanese has offered his "heartfelt congratulations" to the new pontiff and hailed his election as a "momentous day" for Catholics around the world.

"My government looks forward to continuing Australia's strong relationship with the Holy See under Pope Leo XIV's pontificate," he said.

He also invited Pope Leo XIV to visit Australia, which has about six million Catholics, for the 2028 International Eucharist Congress which the country will be hosting.

Australian bishops have also praised the new Pope as "a humble, gentle leader" according to Radio National.

“He’s not different from Pope Francis in terms of vision, but maybe in style. He’s more low key," said Brother Mark O'Connor from a Catholic archdiocese in Sydney.

He added that Pope Leo had previously travelled to Australia and was not a fan of Vegemite - an Australian spread similar to Marmite - but liked Tim Tams, an iconic chocolate biscuit.

Our colleagues in Washington DC have just been speaking to worshippers outside the Basilica of the National Shrine, the largest Roman Catholic church in North America.

Watch this video to hear what they hope the first US-born pope will focus on.

Image source, FILE PHOTO/Press Association

The Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, who is the acting head of the Church of England, said he would be praying for the new Pope as he embarks on his papacy.

"As Anglicans we give thanks for his call to Christians to be bridge-builders across the divisions of our world, and the divisions that continue to exist between churches," he said in a statement. "This is something Jesus asks of us. He prays that the church will be one."

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland Rev. Shaw Paterson offered his "best wishes" to the new Pope and assured the Catholic Church in Scotland "of our continued prayers".

The Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmed el-Tayeb said he looked forward to working with the new Pope "in strengthening interfaith dialogue and promoting the values of human fraternity, in pursuit of global peace, coexistence, and a better future for all humanity".

Pope Tawadros II and Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church said they "pray that the Lord may grant [Pope Leo XIV] grace and wisdom in leading the Catholic Church, and strengthen him in fulfilling the great responsibilities required of the one seated on the Apostolic See of Rome—to bear witness to Christ in every place, and to uphold true Christian values and faith-based principles."

Ronald S. Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, said he looked "forward to continuing and deepening this essential dialogue under the leadership of Pope Leo XIV."

"At a time of global crisis, the importance of this relationship is only heightened.”

Image source, Getty Images

Pope Leo XIV will begin his first full day as the new pontiff of the Catholic Church by celebrating Mass on Friday at the Sistine Chapel alongside the cardinals that chose him, according to The Vatican.

On Sunday, he is scheduled to recite the Regina Coeli prayer at St Peter's Basilica.

Then on Monday, he will meet members of the media in the Vatican for the first time as Pope.

Image source, Getty Images

As Asia woke up to news of the new Pope, leaders and churches in the region have offered their congratulations.

In South Korea, where almost six million people identify as Catholic, politicians and religious leaders have sent their well wishes.

Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea's presidential candidate celebrated the election of Pope Leo XIV praised his "love for his neighbours" and "commitment to social justice".

The Archbishop of Seoul also gave "heartfelt thanks to God for sending us our new shepherd" and hopes the new pontiff will continue to show care to Korea and Asia.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te sent his congratulations and expressed his wish to continue working with the Vatican to "pursue peace, justice and religious freedom" on the island.

Singapore's Roman Catholic Archdiocese says they "rejoice" at the election of the new pontiff and are praying for him as he begins his ministry.

Pride and concern about Pope's Peru recordpublished at 03:26 British Summer Time 9 May

03:26 BST 9 May

Ione Wells
South America correspondent reporting from Lima, Peru

Pope Leo, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, moved to Peru as a missionary in 1985 to work in various rural communities.

He was known for working with marginalised people, and immersed himself in learning Spanish.

After a stint back in the United States, he returned to Peru again in 1988 to the city of Trujillo on the north coast where he trained young men to be priests and taught canon law.

In late 2014, when he was back in the US, he was put forward by Pope Francis to return to Peru as the Apostolic Administrator of Chiclayo, a diocese on Peru’s north coast and the following year he was appointed the Bishop of Chiclayo. He served in this role for nearly a decade.

In 2015 he obtained Peruvian citizenship. He reportedly often referred to Peru as “mi segunda patria”, my second homeland.

Similarly to Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV was known during his tenure as Bishop of Chiclayo for spending time especially in more deprived neighbourhoods.

He championed various charities such as supporting soup kitchens and childcare for struggling families, and advocated for better housing on the north coast which is prone to floods.

But not all in the country are proud of his record.

Serious accusations have been made about his handling of sexual abuse cases during his time as Bishop of Chiclayo. Three Peruvian women are among those who went public with claims that - as bishop - he failed to investigate and punish a priest accused of sexually abusing them, with claims dating back to 2007.

They said that when they raised their allegations with the diocese in 2022, no substantial or serious inquiry was opened.

Church officials in Chiclayo maintained that action was taken and denied a cover-up, and claimed that the case was referred up to the Vatican.

These allegations about his leadership are one of the challenges he will face as he now leads the Church worldwide.

Image source, Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines Facebook

The Philippine Catholic church is celebrating the election of the new Pope by sharing photographs of Robert Prevost's past visits to the South East Asian nation.

The Philippines has the largest Roman Catholic population in Asia - nearly 80% of its 100 million people - and the third-largest in the world.

The pontiff visited Cebu in 2000 and blessed a spirituality centre for the Santo Niño icon in 2008 when he was the prior general of the Augustinians, an order within the church.

He was last in the country in 2010, where he attended the order’s intermediate general chapter in the capital Manila, according to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines.

On Facebook, it shared photos of then Father Robert Prevost presiding over mass, external at a church in Manila during that visit.

Several Filipinos who commented on the post spoke of the "honour" of the new Pope having visited their country and shared their blessings over him.

Pratiksha Ghildial
Reporting from New York

In New York, Mary Bates has come to visit the St Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue with her daughter and granddaughter, and seems visibly excited about the news.

"I am really, really surprised, this is so historic for America", she beams.

She says she hopes that the Pope Leo XIV can continue to build on some of Pope Francis’ work "like caring for the poor and hungry."

"I’d like to see women more appreciated as it’s time for that change too."

Nadine Yousif
North America reporter

Charleen Burnette says she knew in her heart that her old classmate, Robert Prevost, would be named the new Pope.

Burnette attended grade school for eight years with Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, at St Mary School in Chicago. She remembers him as a "quiet, kind, gentle, wicked smart kid."

"He was always the top of our class, all the time," she tells the BBC.

Burnette says that he knew he wanted to be a priest since he was a young altar boy.

"He vocalised it. He lived it. He exemplified it," she says, recalling how he would stay late to sweep and dust the small local church they both attended as kids.

She and her classmates have kept tabs on his success over the years. "Someone always knew where Robert was, if he was in Peru or if he's home in Chicago," she says. They also took note of his deepening relationship with Pope Francis.

"He was assisting Pope Francis in choosing new bishops," Burnette says. It is why today's announcement did not surprise her.

She says she now looks forward to hear his homily next week. Asked what kind of Pope she expects him to be, Burnette responds: "kind, gentle, caring," just as he was a young boy, and that his message will be "care for all."

"I know he'll say it."

Image source, Getty Images

A pontiff often chooses a new papal name after he is elected, leaving behind his old, given name to be known by the new name going forward.

Robert Prevost, the new Pope, has chosen the papal name of Leo. He is the 14th pope to do so, and the first in more than 100 years.

For more than a billion Catholic faithful - and others - around the world looking for any hint on what a new pope might be about, his chosen name can indicate "a certain spirit and direction and vision of the new pope," Dennis Doyle, a theologian at the University of Dayton, told the BBC's partner CBS News.

Pope Leo the Great was the first to hold the name. He was famous for dissuading Attila the Hun from attacking Rome, and was known for being a theologian and an intellectual who helped shape Christian doctrine.

The most recent pope to use the name, Pope Leo XIII, was the head of the Catholic Church between 1878 and 1903. He is known for writing the Rerum Novarum - considered the foundational document of modern Catholic social teaching, touching on issues of labour and workers' rights.

Because of this history, Natalia Imperatori-Lee, the chair of religious studies at Manhattan University, told The Associated Press that the name Leo "is a deep sign of commitment to social issues" for the new Pope.

Through a series of global scandals which are still unfolding, the issue of the systemic sexual exploitation of children is one of the biggest challenges for the modern Catholic Church.

Representatives for those that have been abused by priests in the Catholic Church say they hope the new Pope will address the issue early on in his papacy.

Mitchell Garabedian, a Boston lawyer who has represented dozens of people who accused Catholic priests in the city of abuse in recent decades, says he wants to see the new Pope make reforms that will protect victims.

"Hopefully, Pope Leo XIV will actually create effective programs to help clergy sexual abuse victims try to heal, screen and supervise priests and prevent clergy sexual abuse," he says in a statement to the BBC.

The new Pope himself has not escaped the sexual abuse scandals that have clouded the Church.

In their own statement, the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests - or SNAP - has accused the then-Robert Prevost of failing to investigate instances of alleged abuse during his time in Peru.

In an open letter addressed to Pope Leo, SNAP called for "decisive action" in his first 100 days, including establishing a truth commission and a reparations fund to compensate victims.

"We write to you with a spirit of prophetic anger, frustration, love, and a call for justice," the letter says.

The pontiff's diocese in Peru fervently denies he had been involved in any attempted cover-ups.

In a 2019 interview with Peruvian news outlet La Republica, external, Pope Leo XIV said he rejects cover-ups and secrecy, and urged victims to report incidents of sexual abuse.

• Read more about the Catholic Church child sexual abuse scanda, externall

• Abuse victims question if Pope Francis did enough to stop predators

Image source, Reuters

Former US presidents have celebrated the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first US-born pope.

"Habemus papam - May God bless Pope Leo XIV of Illinois," Joe Biden, only the second Catholic US president, said. "Jill and I congratulate him and wish him success."

Former President Barack Obama, who begun his political career in Chicago, where the new Pope was born, and went on to present the state at the US Senate, also sent his congratulations.

"Michelle and I send our congratulations to a fellow Chicagoan, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV," he said. "This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith."

In a statement, George W. Bush described Pope Leo XIV's election as a "historic and hopeful moment for Catholics in America and for the faithful around the world".

"We join those praying for the success of Pope Leo XIV as he prepares to lead the Catholic Church, serve the neediest, and share God's love," the statement added.

Former President Bill Clinton praised the new Pope's first message.

"His Holiness Pope Leo XIV spoke to billions - Catholics and non-Catholics alike - calling for unity and offering peace, a message the world needs now more than ever," he said.

"As the first American to lead the Catholic Church, his election marks a historic moment. I join in wishing His Holiness many blessings."

Image source, Bloomberg via Getty Immages

Lawmakers in the US, including Catholics, say they are proud that the new Pope hails from America.

"We're very excited, to be honest," says Sen Ruben Gallego, a Democrat from Arizona who is also a Catholic.

He adds that having an American Pope "may help the church move more into the modern era and I think help it survive. It's going through tough times."

Another Catholic senator, Republican Susan Collins from Maine, says she hopes that the selection of an American Pope will shed positive light on the country, and that it "helps to reassure people around the globe that of the greatness of the American nation and that we are compassionate."

The top Democrat in the US House of Representatives Hakeem Jeffries says he hopes the new Pope will walk in Pope Francis' footsteps.

"In his final Easter blessing, Pope Francis called on all of us to show compassion to the world’s most vulnerable," Jeffries says.

"In this moment of moral urgency, I pray that Pope Leo XIV carries on this legacy and serves as a beacon of hope and a bridge-builder for years to come."

Reverend John Lydon lived with Pope Leo XIV for a decade in Peru. He tells the BBC that the new Pope is "outstanding" and "down to earth", with a love for cooking and singing.

"Sometimes he would make pizza, back in those days you couldn't get good pizza in Peru," Rev Lyndon tells us.

"He was somebody you would sit down with and just talk and laugh," he adds. "He had a very good singing voice as well."

Rev Lyndon says that Pope Leo was beloved by the people in the parish.

"We always had to block out a week for his birthday, which is in December, because every part of the parish wanted to celebrate his birthday," he says.

Seeing his old friend become Pope has been "overwhelming".

"It's an amazing thing," Rev Lyndon says. "I'm still absorbing it."

Guillermo Olmo
Former Peru correspondent, BBC Mundo

The election of cardinal Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV sparked an unusual wave of pride in Peru, where he spent many years as a priest and eventually becoming a bishop.

President Dina Boluarte celebrated the new pope saying that “his election fills with pride and hope our nation, which was his home, mission and faith”.

More than half of Peru's population is Catholic and the fact that the next global leader of the Catholic Church is someone who became a Peruvian citizen in 2015 in order to serve as one of its bishops will likely be appreciated across the country.

The new Pope had previously stated many times his commitment with the country and in 2023, when deadly protests erupted nationwide after the ousting of then President Pedro Castillo and he was yet the bishop of Chiclayo, he said that he had asked Pope Francis to remain in the country to “accompany the people”.

Prevost’s designation will most certainly secure Francis’s legacy within the Peruvian church, which has been for years plagued by scandals of alleged sexual abuses in a conservative, well-connected community called the Sodalitium of Christian Life.

Just months before his passing, Francis ordered to disband it, leaving the right-wing of the Peruvian Catholic elite and its political allies disgruntled. Leo XIV is widely seen in Peru as someone who will keep the course set by his predecessor.

Image source, Reuters

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offers his congratulations to the new Pope, and expresses his hope for the Vatican's "continued moral and spiritual support".

Writing on social media, he says: "Ukraine deeply values the Holy See’s consistent position in upholding international law, condemning the Russian Federation’s military aggression against Ukraine, and protecting the rights of innocent civilians."

He says he hopes for "the continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraine’s efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace".

"I wish His Holiness Leo XIV wisdom, inspiration, and strength - both spiritual and physical - in carrying out his noble mission," he adds.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also offered his congratulations, news agencies reported, citing a statement published by the Kremlin.

"I am confident that the constructive dialogue and cooperation established between Russia and the Vatican will continue to develop on the basis of the Christian values that unite us," Putin said, wishing the new Pope Leo "success".

Phoebe Hopson and Jake Kwon
Reporting from Washington, DC

Image source, BBC / Phoebe Hopson

We're here at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC - North America's largest Catholic church.

We're speaking with Reverend Monsignor Walter R. Rossi, who describes having met the new Pope, saying he is gracious and a little bit shy

Responding to journalists' questions, Rossi says Catholics in America are ecstatic the new Pope is American.

It's good news for all of us, just not Americans, he says.

Rossi says he did not expect the new pope to be an American.

His first reaction when he found out was: "Oh my god, I can't believe it", he says.

The basilica is now adorned with an American flag in honour of the new Pope, Rossi says.