In his inaugural Mass at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV urged the Catholic Church to urgently respond to a widespread spiritual void, declaring it must act as “a beacon that lights the world’s darkest hours.”
Speaking just one day after becoming the 267th Pope—and the first American to lead the Church—Leo warned that many people were abandoning faith in favor of “technology, money, power, or pleasure.”
He said he had not been chosen for greatness, but rather to serve faithfully as “a steward of a Church that offers hope in the night.”
The election of Robert Francis Prevost has inspired celebrations among the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, particularly in his native U.S. and in Peru, where he ministered for two decades.
In his homily Friday, Pope Leo said Christian values were now viewed as “absurd” in many places where wealth, ambition, and digital culture dominated. Yet, he insisted, it was in those very places that the Church’s mission must thrive.
“Where faith disappears, meaning often vanishes too,” he said in Italian. “Mercy is forgotten. Human dignity is violated. Families break apart. Society suffers many wounds.”
Wearing a gold-trimmed white robe, the 69-year-old Pope addressed the College of Cardinals from the Sistine Chapel in a ceremony streamed worldwide.
Before the sermon, he departed from the script to address his cardinals in English. “I know I can count on each of you to walk beside me,” he said, his American accent audible.
Prevost’s election was announced Thursday evening from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica after white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney, signaling a new Pope had been chosen.
The crowd in St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers as he was introduced. From the balcony, he presented a vision for a “missionary Church”—one that “builds bridges, seeks dialogue, and remains open to all.”
He also echoed his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, by calling for unity and peace. “Let us build bridges together, through listening, dialogue, and encounter,” he said.
Leaders from around the world sent congratulations. U.S. President Donald Trump called the moment “a great honor” for the country.
Prevost, born in Chicago and made a cardinal in 2023, had previously served as bishop in Chiclayo, Peru. He became a Vatican figure under Pope Francis, who reportedly saw him as a potential successor.
Known for his work with the poor and marginalized, Prevost took Peruvian citizenship in 2015. As a cardinal, he also voiced concern over U.S. immigration policy and was known for occasionally challenging the American political right.
Earlier this year, on social media, he criticized Vice President JD Vance’s view that Christians should prioritize love for family above all. “JD Vance is wrong,” he wrote. “Jesus never tells us to rank our love.”
Now at the helm of the global Church amid ongoing wars and humanitarian crises, Pope Leo XIV is expected to bring a message of compassion and reconciliation to the international stage.
His upcoming public appearances—including Sunday’s Regina Coeli and a Monday press conference—are expected to offer further clues into how he plans to shape his papacy.
