Pope Leo XIV, history’s first American-born pontiff, celebrated his first Mass as the 267th head of the Catholic Church on Friday, calling his election “a cross to bear and a blessing to receive,” as he signaled a continuation of Pope Francis’ push for social justice and inclusion.
Speaking from the Sistine Chapel less than 24 hours after being elected, Leo – born Robert Prevost in Chicago – addressed the cardinals who chose him as the Church’s new shepherd.
He broke from prepared remarks, delivering his message in English, urging unity in spreading the Gospel “joyfully, even in a world that mocks it.”
“You have called me to carry that cross and to be blessed with that mission,” he said. “I know I can rely on each of you to walk with me – as a church, as a community, as friends of Jesus.”
Symbolic choice, symbolic name
Prevost’s selection shattered a longstanding unwritten rule: no pope from the U.S., long seen as too politically and economically powerful.
His choice of the name Leo was just as bold. The last pope to bear it, Leo XIII (1878–1903), championed workers’ rights and helped shift the Church toward modern social thought – a legacy the Vatican highlighted.
Observers say the name is a nod to continuity. Both Leos were tied to the Augustinian order; both shared a vision for reform rooted in compassion and engagement with modern society.
First steps in office
Leo will be formally installed May 18 and deliver his first general audience May 21. On Sunday, he’s scheduled to give his first noontime blessing from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, and will address the media Monday.
His first directive was measured but meaningful: all Vatican department heads – who technically lost their positions upon Pope Francis’ death on April 21 – were asked to remain in their roles pending further reflection and dialogue.
Two women read Scripture during Friday’s Mass, a subtle but telling gesture hinting that Leo will uphold Francis’ push to amplify women’s voices in Church leadership. As head of the powerful Dicastery for Bishops, Leo had already implemented one of Francis’ most radical reforms: adding three women to the panel that vets bishop nominations.
Papacy shaped by margins
Before arriving at the Vatican, Prevost spent decades as a missionary in Peru. Even the bishops there dubbed him “the saint of the north,” said the Rev. Alexander Lam, an Augustinian friar from Peru. “He had time for everyone.”
Francis clearly saw leadership potential in Prevost, assigning him to a challenging Peruvian diocese in 2014 and eventually bringing him to Rome in 2023 to lead the bishops’ office – arguably the most powerful post outside the papacy.
Though he kept a low profile in Rome, Leo earned deep respect among Church insiders. In a 2023 interview with Vatican News, he praised the inclusion of women in the bishop-vetting process and urged broader lay participation in Church governance.
Pope for divided church
Leo inherits a deeply polarized global Church – a rift especially visible in his home country. Francis faced sharp criticism from conservative American bishops wary of his progressive tone. Now, some see Leo’s election as a chance for reconciliation.
“He is continuing a lot of Francis’ ministry,” said Natalia Imperatori-Lee, chair of religious studies at Manhattan College. “It’s going to be exciting to see a different kind of American Catholicism in Rome.”
In that same 2023 interview, Leo decried the Church’s internal strife. “Divisions and polemics do not help anything. We bishops especially must accelerate the movement toward unity.”
Man behind miter
At 68, Leo blends quiet humility with a clear pastoral mission. On the evening of his election, he returned to his old apartment in the Sant’Uffizio Palace, taking selfies with colleagues. Vatican Media later showed him praying alone in the Pauline Chapel before stepping onto the loggia to greet the world.
His brother, John Prevost, missed Leo’s call during a live interview with The Associated Press. He described the new pope – a Wordle fan – as “kind of right down the middle,” a man deeply concerned for the poor and unheard. “I think he’s going to be a second Pope Francis.”
Eyes on horizon
Leo’s first foreign trip may come quickly. The Vatican said he could travel to Türkiye in late May for the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Iznik (Nicaea) – a pivotal moment in Christian history and a crucial step in Catholic-Orthodox relations.
But on Friday, his focus remained firmly on his new flock.
“Faith today is often mocked or misunderstood – even by the baptized,” he warned in his homily. “A lack of faith brings a loss of meaning, a neglect of mercy, and wounds our society. We must live the Gospel not as a burden, but as a joy.”
The cardinals rose to applaud as Mass concluded. On his feet were simple black shoes – not the red loafers once favored by traditionalist popes. Like Francis, Pope Leo XIV appears ready to walk his own path.
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