Pope Leo XIV to hold his first mass as pontiff as Catholics around the world celebrate

The Guardian

09-05-2025

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Hello and welcome to the Guardian's live coverage of Pope Leo XIV's first full day in office, during which he is expected to hold his first mass as leader of the Catholic church.
Robert Francis Prevost, the first US-born pope, will celebrate a private mass with cardinals at the Sistine Chapel on Friday at 11am (0900 GMT), during which he will deliver his much anticipated first homily as pope. It will be broadcast live.
The 69-year-old, who has spent much of his life in Peru, was elected by his fellow cardinals on Thursday during a secret conclave after the death of his predecessor, Pope Francis.
With the choice of Prevost, experts say, the cardinals opted for continuity with the late Francis, a progressive from Argentina who shook up the Church in his 12-year papacy.
'He is a moderate consensus candidate who fits into a soft continuity, a gentle continuity with Pope Francis, who will not alienate conservatives,' said Francois Mabille, a researcher at the Paris-based think tank IRIS and author of a book on Vatican strategy.
Here's what you should know about the new pope: Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said the choice of the name Leo was a 'clear and deliberate' reference to the last pope named Leo . Leo XIII was elected in 1878 and was best known for his 1891 encyclical, Rerum Novarum, which outlined workers' rights.
In his first comments after his election , Pope Leo XIV preached a message of 'unity' and of 'moving forward' . He said he wants this message of peace to 'enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are.'
Many shared their excitement at having an American pope , and specifically a pope born in Chicago. City mayor Brandon Johnson tweeted 'Everything dope, including the Pope, comes from Chicago' and former US president Barack Obama congratulated the 'fellow Chicagoan' on social media.
The election of Prevost was also celebrated in Peru, where he has spent much of his life . Peru's president, Dina Boluarte described him as a Peruvian 'by choice and conviction'.
US president Donald Trump said he was 'surprised' but that it is a 'great honour' to have an American pope . Leaders from countries around the world also offered their congratulations.
An account on X widely believed to belong to the new pope shows him to be somewhat critical of the Trump administration. The account posted two articles that took issue with the stance by JD Vance , also a Catholic, on immigration. One article was headlined 'JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn't ask us to rank our love for others.'
Leo's brother, John Prevost, told US media that Leo, was not afraid to speak his mind and that he was currently very unhappy with 'what's going on with immigration' . He told the New York Times: 'I don't think he'll stay quiet for too long if he has something to say … I know he's not happy with what's going on with immigration. I know that for a fact.'
In a 2012 address to the world Synod of Bishops , the then Father Robert Francis Prevost appeared to criticise homosexuality . He said 'Western mass media is extraordinarily effective in fostering within the general public enormous sympathy for beliefs and practices that are at odds with the Gospel – for example abortion, homosexual lifestyle, euthanasia'.
Like his predecessor, Pope Francis, Leo is also on the record as opposing the ordination of women. He told a 2023 synod that 'clericalizing women' would not solve problems in the Catholic Church and might create new ones, according to the Catholic news agency. Share