The new Pope's experience around the globe has hoisted him above front-runners for the papacy.
69-year-old Robert Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV, is the first Pope to come from the United States.
While he was born in Chicago, he's also a naturalised Peruvian having lived there for about 20 years, and speaks English, Spanish, and Italian.
Newstalk ZB's Jo McKenna is at the Vatican and told Mike Hosking his history in Peru would've drawn support from South American cardinals.
She says he’s strongly pushing messages of connection, talking in his speech about peace and maintaining the message of Pope Francis of reaching out to all corners of the earth and creating an inclusive church.
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The Mike Hosking Breakfast