*Holds First Mass In Sistine Chapel
NEWLY elected Pope Leo XIV concelebrated Mass with the College of Cardinals inside the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, on Friday morning, May 9, a day after his election as 267th pontiff of the 1.4 billion-member Roman Catholic Church.
Leo’s first homily began with a few words in English during this morning’s Mass, before switching to Italian, a striking departure from his predecessors, as well as a nod to his American heritage.
The homily he delivered to Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel on Friday morning was scripted, rather than improvised, sending a signal that “Leo will be more closely aligned to tradition than Francis was,” said Austen Ivereigh, a Catholic writer and commentator.
According to the Vatican agenda for the pope’s schedule for the remainder of this month, Leo will deliver his first Sunday blessing as Pope at noon local time from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, May 11, speak with journalists in the Vatican auditorium on May 12, formally installed as Pope at a Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, May 18, and preside over his first general audience with the public on May 21.
He is also scheduled to hold various meetings with Cardinals, Vatican officials and the diplomatic corps.
Before his death last month, Pope Francis had made a commitment to travel to Turkey at the end of May to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, a landmark event recognised across Christian denominations.
Pope Leo must now decide if he will carry out the previously scheduled Turkey visit, along with other commitments made by his predecessor.
Hours after he was elected as the new pontiff, Leo went back to his previous residence and made a surprise visit to see colleagues there.
He spent his first night as Pope in his residence in the Sant’Uffizio Palace, and not in the Apostolic Palace, where Popes traditionally reside, according to Vatican News.
On Friday, May 9, the Vatican shared on social media the official document that confirms Cardinal Robert Prevost has accepted his election as the new pontiff, as well as the name he chose, Leo XIV.
The document was drawn up by the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, Monsignor Diego Giovanni Ravelli.
