Pope Leo XIV live updates: Cardinal says Leo will be ‘darn good Pope’ as White House downplays Trump tensions
Pope Leo XIV led his first Mass as the leader of the Catholic Church on Friday, saying his election was both a cross and a blessing as congratulatory messages flooded in to celebrate the first American-born pontiff.
In the Sistine Chapel, where less than 24 hours earlier the gathered cardinals had elected him, Pope Leo said he had been “called to carry the cross”.
Delivering his first homily as Pope in English and Italian, Pope Leo also said the Church must light “the dark nights of this world” and warned against choosing “technology, money, success, power or pleasure” over Christian faith.
The 69-year-old former Robert Prevost was chosen to be the 267th pope by the Conclave on Thursday after more than two-thirds of the cardinals voted for him to succeed the late Pope Francis.
Meanwhile, in the US, cardinals celebrated his election by blasting “Born in the U.S.A.” and “American Pie.”
New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan also said Prevost will make a “darn good pope.”
While the pope prayed for peace in his first official remarks, his election comes amidst deadly wars, a long shadow of abuse within the church he now leads, and chaos and division at home under the Trump administration.
