Pope Leo XIV celebrates First Mass in Sistine Chapel within 24 hrs of his appointment

On May 8, 2024, Pope Leo XIV was announced as the successor of the late Pope Francis, who recently passed away at the age of 88. In less than 24 hours of his appointment, Pope marked his First Mass ceremony on May 9, 2025, at 11 AM EDT. The ceremony took place in Sistine Chapel where his appointment had also taken place.

Leo, the first pope from the United States and formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, appeared calm as he celebrated Mass in the illustrious chapel adorned with frescoes, among the same cardinals who had elected him to the position of the 267th pontiff and successor to Pope Francis.

The Mass was continued in fine Italian by Leo, a Chicagoan who spent 20 years as a missionary in Peru and wore rather simple white and gold robes. As pope, he envisioned the spiritual transformation of the Church he hoped to bring about.

As reported by Reuters, Pope Leo XIV addressed the attendees of the ceremony saying that God had entrusted him with responsibility and he would be a faithful administrator of the Church.

"God has .... entrusted this treasure to me so that, with his help, I may be its faithful administrator for the sake of the entire mystical Body of the Church," Pope Leo XIV said.

As per the translation, Pope Leo XIV went on to say:

"He has done so in order that she may be ever more fully a city set on a hill, an ark of salvation sailing through the waters of history and a beacon that illumines the dark nights of this world.”

He also added that the holiness of the Church members made them great for around 1.4 billion followers.

“Church, was great not because of "the magnificence of her structures or the grandeur of her buildings … but rather through the holiness of her members," he added.

Pope Leo XIV's new appointment came out on May 8

The 69-year-old Leo was elected following a quick two-day conclave that concluded on May 8, 2025, evening, with white smoke billowing from the chapel's chimney. According to a Reuters report, prior to his election, U.S. cardinals were widely dismissed as papal candidates due to a general opinion that the world Church could not be led by a pope hailing from a superpower nation.

According to reports, Pope maintains Peruvian citizenship, indicating that he is well-versed about both the West and the less developed countries. Following the Mass, Leo was scheduled to have lunch with the bishops who chose him. After that, the bishops returned to their respective residences throughout the world.

In related new, the U.S. President Donald Trump sent his wishes and congratulations to Pope Leo XIV soon after his appointment was made public.

The new pope spent decades working in northern Peru, initially as a missionary and subsequently as Bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023.

Prevost became a cardinal only in 2023. He has granted a few media appearances and is known for his shy attitude. Late Pope Francis sent him to Rome two years ago to lead the Vatican office tasked with appointing priests for positions as Catholic bishops around the world.

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