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鈥淎long with the faithful of the Diocese of Richmond, I rejoice in thanksgiving at the announcement of our new pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope to be elected,鈥� Knestout said in a statement. 鈥淟ike many, my initial reaction was one of joyful astonishment when I heard the cardinal protodeacon announce that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago native, was elected as the 267th pope to lead our Church.鈥�

Prevost, 69, who took the name Pope Leo XIV, and spent much of his career ministering in Peru.

St. Bridget Catholic School in Richmond on Thursday posted a photo on Instagram showing students celebrating the news of the American pope. 鈥淐an you feel the excitement?! We have a Pope!鈥� the post said.

The covers about 33,000 square miles of southern Virginia and includes 134 parishes and a total Catholic population of more than 246,000 according to the diocese, which says it has 132 priests.

The diocese on Friday is planning a noon . A service also was held April 21 after the death of Pope Francis.

Knestout was appointed by Francis in 2017.

The Diocese of Arlington is composed of 70 parishes in the Northern Virginia area. The diocese says that since its founding in 1974, it has grown markedly, becoming one of the 50 largest dioceses in the U.S. According to the Diocese of Arlington, it includes 446,500 registered Catholics and more than 275 priests.

Michael Burbidge, the bishop of the Diocese of Arlington, also put out a statement Thursday.

鈥淲ith profound gratitude to Almighty God, I join the universal Church in thanksgiving for Pope Leo XIV. As the Bishop of Rome and Successor of Saint Peter, our Holy Father is for the entire world the visible principle of Christian unity. I encourage everyone in our families, parishes and schools to offer prayers, sacrifices, and works of charity for Pope Leo XIV and his intentions.鈥�

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., released a video Thursday night in which he reflected on the new pope鈥檚 choice of a name.

His choice of the name Pope Leo XIV 鈥渟ends a very loud signal,鈥� Kaine said, because Pope Leo XIII, who led the church from 1878 to 1903, 鈥渞eally prioritized the everyday needs of working people at a time when there were a lot of pressures to deny everyday working people basic dignity and fairness.

鈥淎nd so, choosing the name Leo XIV sends a strong message that this is going to be a pope who will continue Pope Francis鈥� focus on the needs of the least of these and the dignity of each person.鈥�