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Pope Leo XIV celebrates first Mass, says he hopes to be ‘faithful administrator’

In the days ahead, Pope Leo XIV is expected to deliver his first Sunday blessing, meet with the press, and possibly undertake his first foreign trip.

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV waves at the people gathered in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican shortly after his election. (AP Photo)

A day after his election as the first North American pope, Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Mass Friday in the Sistine Chapel with the cardinals who chose him. He said he hopes to be a “faithful administrator” for the entire church.

Upon his election on Thursday, the pontiff said in Italian: “Together, we must try to find out how to be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges, establishes dialogue, that’s always open to receive.”

At the Vatican, Leo has been no stranger to reforms. As the prefect of the powerful Dicastery for Bishops, he oversaw a major shift in Church governance by helping implement Francis’ unprecedented move to allow women to vote in the process of new bishops.

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First acts as pontiff

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni announced the pope’s initial public duties:

Friday: Celebrates Mass with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel at 11 am.
Sunday: Delivers his first public Angelus blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s.
Monday: Holds an official audience with the international press corps.

Pope Leo XIV, first from the United States to become a pontiff, gets emotional as he greets the world. Watch

Religious scholars say Leo’s election could help recenter the US Catholic Church, long divided between traditionalist and progressive factions.

In the days ahead, Leo is expected to deliver his first Sunday blessing, meet with the press, and possibly undertake his first foreign trip — a planned visit to Turkey to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, a landmark event in Christian history.

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Born in 1955 in Chicago, Illinois, Robert Francis Prevost grew up in a devout Catholic family in the Midwest. He spent some time in Peru, and in In 2023, Pope Francis brought him to the Vatican.

(With inputs from AP)

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