Pope Leo XIV celebrates first Mass, addresses cardinals in English

On May 9, Pope Leo XIV, the first North American pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church, celebrated his inaugural Mass in the Sistine Chapel, marking the first time he addressed the cardinals in English since his election to the papacy.

His election marks a historic shift, breaking longstanding precedent against a US-born pope and signaling both continuity and evolution within the Roman Catholic Church, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

Clad in white vestments, Pope Leo processed solemnly into the Sistine Chapel, pausing to bless the cardinals as he approached the altar, framed by Michelangelo’s iconic The Last Judgment. He delivered the opening prayers and hymns in Latin, while women read the initial Scripture passages—a move in keeping with the Church’s evolving role for women in liturgical life.

Addressing the cardinals in English, Pope Leo said, “You have called me to carry the cross and to be blessed,” asking for their support in spreading the Catholic faith around the world. This marked his first public use of English, having previously spoken in Italian and Spanish from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica on May 8.

Born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, the 69-year-old Augustinian missionary spent over two decades in Peru and also holds Peruvian citizenship. His election as the 267th pope on May 8 afternoon overcame long-standing hesitation toward an American pontiff, given the United States’ dominant geopolitical role. However, Prevost’s deep missionary background and dual nationality helped ease concerns, presenting him as a global rather than purely national figure.

In his first remarks from the Vatican balcony, Pope Leo, speaking in near-perfect Italian, emphasized a Church open to all: “Together, we must try to find out how to be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges, establishes dialogue, that’s always open to receive — like on this piazza with open arms — to be able to receive everybody that needs our charity, our presence, dialogue and love.”

By Vafa Guliyeva