A brief moment during the oath-taking before the papal conclave has gone viral among Filipinos, as it shows Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle standing just ahead of then-Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost — now Pope Leo XIV.
Before the conclave began on Wednesday, May 7, 133 cardinal electors participated in a procession and oath-taking at the Sistine Chapel, where they pledged to keep the election proceedings a secret.
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They also took an oath committing, if elected, to faithfully fulfill the “Munus Petrinum” (office or mission of Peter) as Pastor of the Universal Church.
Before the Sistine Chapel was officially sealed from the outside world, three Filipinos were among those who took the oath of secrecy, administered in order of ecclesiastical precedence.
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The oath-taking began with the most senior cardinals and ended with those most recently elevated by the late Pope Francis.
First to swear the oath was Tagle, who was created cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. He was followed by another Filipino, Manila Archbishop Jose Advincula, who was made a cardinal by Francis in 2020.
Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David, named a cardinal in 2024, came after.
Notably, during the oath-taking, Tagle was immediately succeeded in line by Prevost — now Pope Leo XIV.
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A screengrab of the moment was widely reported by local media, especially as Tagle had long been considered one of the frontrunners to succeed Francis.
Filipinos looked back on the moment after the conclave officially ended on its second day, Friday, May 8, when white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel chimney following the cardinals’ fourth ballot.
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Leo later emerged on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica as the Catholic Church’s 276th pope, and its first American supreme pontiff.
He succeeds Francis, the first Latin American pope, who led the Church for 12 years and was widely known for his efforts to open the traditionally conservative institution to the modern world.
“God has a bigger plan, but we did not know nasa likod lang pala natin,” a Facebook account wrote, referring to the screengrab. The post has earned 8,400 likes and reactions and 3,800 shares.
“Muntikan na pala si Cardinal Tagle, kung nagpahuli [siya] nang konti, an online user quipped on the X (formerly Twitter) platform.
“Did you know? Before the conclave commenced on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost quietly took the oath of secrecy — just moments after Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, who many Filipinos believed was the frontrunner for the papacy,” another Facebook account said.
“While all eyes were on Tagle, it was the man just behind him who would rise as the new pope. History has a remarkable way of surprising us. Sometimes, the true narrative begins in the shadows, not in the spotlight,” the account added.
“The New Pope [Leo] XIV was behind Cardinal Tagle in line for oath-taking before the start of the conclave. An amazing shot,” another Facebook account said.
“Nasa likod natin ang Santo Papa,” a different Pinoy said.
Reports said Pope Leo XVI, 69, is a Chicago native who has spent most of his career as a missionary in Peru.
Leo has attracted interest from his peers because of his quiet style and firm support for Francis, especially the latter’s commitment to social justice issues.
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Rev. Mark Francis, a friend of Leo since the 1970s, told Reuters the latter was a firm supporter of his predecessor’s papacy, and especially of the late pontiff’s commitment to social justice issues.
“He was always friendly and warm and remained a voice of common sense and practical concerns for the Church’s outreach to the poor,” said Francis, who attended seminary with Leo and later knew him when they both lived in Rome in the 2000s.
“He has a wry sense of humour, but was not someone who sought the limelight,” said Francis, who leads the U.S. province of the Viatorian religious order.
— with reports from Reuters
