Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first mass in the Sistine Chapel on Friday morning, just a day after being elected to replace the late Pope Francis as the leader of the Catholic Church.
The new pope, born Robert Francis Prevost in Dolton, Ill., spoke in Spanish, Italian and English during the homily.
“You have called me to carry that cross and to be blessed with that mission, and I know I can rely on each and every one of you to walk with me as we continue as a church, as a community, as friends of Jesus, as believers, to announce the good news to announce the Gospel,” Pope Leo XIV told cardinals in English, as reported by the The Associated Press.
The pontiff is a Chicago native and is the first American pope in history. He’s fluent in English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese, and can read Latin and German, according to the National Catholic Reporter.
He served as a missionary in Peru for most of his career before Pope Francis appointed him to serve as a cardinal.
Much of his first mass was focused on outreach, a measure he said was “desperately needed” during modern times.
“A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society,” Pope Leo XIV said according to a transcript from The Catholic Leader.
“And these are not few,” he added.
Leaders across the globe shared their congratulations on his selection and prayed for his ability to achieve world peace, including former President Obama and President Trump.
“This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith,” former President Obama said in a statement.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also wished Pope Leo XIV “success in fostering hope and reconciliation among all faiths,” in a post from the official account on social platform X on Thursday.
Shortly after the pontiff’s election Thursday, his brother said he would likely follow in his predecessor’s footsteps to serve and look out for “those who don’t have a voice.” It also came to light that he has reposted messages in the past that were critical of the Trump administration.
Pope Francis died on April 21 at the age of 88, making him the first sitting pontiff to die since Pope John Paul II in 2005 at age 84. Pope Benedict, who stepped down in 2013, died in 2022 at the age of 95.
