Pope Leo XIV to hold inaugural press audience at Vatican on May 12

Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago, will deliver his first audience to the media on May 12, as he begins his public duties as head of the Roman Catholic Church.

The gathering will take place in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican and will mark the first formal interaction between the new pontiff and members of the global media, Caliber.Az reports citing Russian media.

The pope’s inaugural media address will come just days after a series of significant ceremonial events, beginning with a Mass with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel at 11am (0900 GMT) on May 9. This liturgy, held in the same location where the conclave convened to elect him, serves as a symbol of continuity and gratitude toward the cardinal-electors.

The 69-year-old former cardinal was chosen to be the 267th pope by the Conclave after more than two-thirds of the cardinals voted for him to succeed the late Francis.

Pope Leo XIV will celebrate his first Mass as the leader of the Catholic Church after making history as the first American-born pontiff.

He now takes the helm of the Catholic Church and will lead 1.4 billion Roman Catholics around the world at a time of increasing global turmoil.

In his first official remarks, Pope Leo XIV offered a prayer for peace, acknowledging the troubled state of the world. His words came amid a backdrop of war, social unrest, and lingering crises within the Church, including unresolved issues of clerical abuse and declining trust in institutional leadership.

“Today, I pray for peace—not only among nations, but in the hearts of all who suffer and seek hope,” the new pope said, addressing a Church that spans continents and cultures.

His inaugural homily, delivered beneath Michelangelo’s famed frescoes, called for unity and moral courage in facing the challenges of the modern age. He emphasized compassion, justice, and the Church’s responsibility to be a “light in the darkness” for those afflicted by conflict, poverty, and division.

The significance of his American roots was not lost on global observers. President Donald Trump praised the election of the Chicago-born pope, calling it a “great honour for our country,” while other world leaders hailed the moment as a “historic day” for the Catholic Church.

Despite early speculation that the Conclave would return to Europe for its next spiritual leader, the cardinals instead turned again to the Americas. Pope Leo XIV, who previously served as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, brings with him a deep background in pastoral leadership and Church governance, particularly within the largest archdiocese in North America.

Following May 9 Mass, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed that Pope Leo XIV will deliver his first public Sunday blessing from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica and is scheduled to meet with members of the international press on May 12 in the Vatican auditorium.

By Vafa Guliyeva