Pope Leo XIV, who became the first North American pope in history, celebrated his first Mass as pontiff in the Sistine Chapel.
At the beginning of the service, he addressed the cardinals in English, stating, “You have called me to bear the cross and receive a blessing,” and asked them to help spread the Catholic faith.
It was the first time Leo had spoken publicly in English, having previously used only Italian and Spanish in his first comments to the world from the loggia of St Peter's Basilica on Thursday.
At the beginning of his sermon in the Sistine Chapel before the cardinals who had elected him, Leo uttered a few impromptu phrases.
Chicago-born Augustinian missionary Robert Prevost was elected Thursday to succeed Pope Francis and will continue his work fighting for social justice.
Dressed in white, Leo entered the Sistine Chapel and blessed the cardinals, approaching the altar next to Michelangelo's painting The Last Judgment.
It was in this same frescoed chapel on Thursday afternoon that Leo, 69, was elected the 267th pope — and the first from the United States.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
