Pope voted in U.S. election because he's "proud to be an American"

Pope Leo XIV, who became the first sitting pontiff to vote in a U.S. election, said Friday he is "proud to be an American and to exercise my right" to vote.His remarks, made to reporters en route to Latin America for a 12-day trip, come after the Vatican confirmed the U.S.-born pontiff had voted via mail-in ballot in his native Chicago. He declined to comment on the outcome of the midterm elections, which gave control of Congress to the Democrats in a repudiation of President Trump. Instead, he pointed to the statement released by the Vatican last week that cited his longstanding belief in civic participation.The pope, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, "has exercised his right to vote as a United States citizen, whenever he was eligible to do so," the Holy See press office said in an Oct.

30 statement."The Holy Father expresses his belief in the right and the duty of citizens to participate in democratic processes," the Vatican said in a statement.The pope has a long history of civic engagement in the U.S., the Vatican said, confirming that during his nearly two decades as a missionary and then bishop in Peru, Leo voted whenever he was eligible. He holds U.S. and Peruvian citizenship.The Associated Press reported Leo, as Robert Prevost, previously voted in five primary elections since 2000