The newly elected leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, who also holds the distinction of being the first American pope officiated his inaugural Mass on Friday with members of the College of Cardinals inside the Sistine Chapel.
Before becoming pope, the Chicago-born Robert Prevost had a long tenure as a missionary and later served as the Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru.
His elevation to the papacy concluded a two-day conclave, marked by the traditional white smoke that signaled his election on Thursday evening.
After the Mass, Pope Leo is scheduled to have a private lunch with the cardinals responsible for his election.
While they prepare to return to their respective countries, the new pope will begin addressing pressing matters within the Church, including financial reform, internal debates about LGBTQ inclusion, the role of divorced Catholics, and increasing advocacy for broader participation of women in Church leadership.
