New Pope Leo XIV, celebrating first Mass, wants Church to be beacon of light

Pope Leo XIV held his inaugural Mass on Friday in the Sistine Chapel, where he was elected less than a day before, cautioning about the perils stemming from a deficiency of faith and aspiring for the Catholic Church to illuminate the world’s “dark nights.”

Leo, the ex-Cardinal Robert Prevost and the first pope from the U.S., appeared composed while conducting the Mass in the renowned, fresco-adorned chapel alongside the same cardinals who elected him as the 267th pontiff and the successor to Pope Francis.

Wearing fairly plain white and gold robes, Leo, originally from Chicago but having served as a missionary in Peru for twenty years, spoke briefly in English before seamlessly transitioning to his homily in fluent Italian.

In the homily, Leo, 69, described the vision of the Church he hopes for, stating he aims to be the “faithful administrator” for the entire Church. The new pope, who guides 1.4 billion Catholics globally, admitted that the Christian faith is occasionally “seen as absurd” and regarded as belonging to “the weak and uneducated.”

The Vatican announced that an inauguration Mass for Leo will take place in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, May 18. Global and faith leaders are invited to the inauguration, signifying the official start of a papacy. The inauguration of Pope Francis in 2013 drew a crowd of around 200,000 individuals.

The Vatican stated that the new pope will temporarily retain senior officials in their positions, allowing him time to make decisions before finalizing appointments. All senior officials in the Vatican, designated for five-year terms, serve at the discretion of the pope. A new pope typically upholds current mandates at least at first before determining if key roles should be altered.

The pope was chosen after a two-day conclave that concluded on Thursday evening when white smoke emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. Considering the nature of the conclaves, where cardinals are isolated from the outside world and bound to confidentiality, it is improbable that any information will surface – at least for the time being – regarding how Leo quickly secured the necessary two-thirds majority of votes.

The next Pope following Francis, who passed away last month at 88, faces several significant challenges, including a budget deficit and disagreements on whether the Church should be more inclusive of the LGBT community and divorcees, as well as allowing women to take on a larger role in its operations. His schedule will be filled, as the Vatican is observing a Holy Year that attracts millions more visitors to Rome.