The Vatican announced that Pope Leo XIV has decided to “maintain an active presence on social media through official papal accounts” on X @Pontifex and Instagram, creating a new one for the latter platform.
Before becoming pope, Leo XIV kept a low profile on some reforms supported by his predecessor but remained close to Pope Francis and upheld pro-life values, care for migrants and the environment, and a more synodal Church.
Pope Leo XIV urged thousands of Eastern Catholics from around the world, many of whom come from places experiencing violence, not to abandon their ancestral lands and assured them that he will do everything he can to bring peace there.
In his first days as Pope, Leo XIV has signaled continuity over rupture, rooted his vision in patristic tradition, and issued a bold call to young people: ‘Do not be afraid.’
Father Hugo Gabriel Sánchez of Chiclayo, Peru, had been planning a trip with his mother for months to visit various Marian shrines in Europe, such as Fátima, Medjugorje, and Lourdes, with of course a final stop in Rome.
Pope Leo XIV, when he was bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, offered a special prayer of consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary before the pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Fátima, whose feast day the Catholic Church celebrates on May 13.
The leadership of the Vatican’s synod office has pledged its full availability and support of Pope Leo XIV in a public letter to the new pontiff shared Tuesday to its website and social media pages.
May 13 is the optional memorial of Our Lady of Fátima, arguably the most prominent approved apparition of the 20th century. It became famous the world over, particularly for its three-part “secret.”
In a May 8 letter to Rabbi Noam Marans, director of interreligious affairs at the American Jewish Committee, the Pope conveyed his wish for continued positive Catholic-Jewish relations.
Pope Leo XIV traveled to several countries as prior general of the Order of St. Augustine between 2001 and 2013 and also as a member of the Roman Curia since 2019.
Raised in Chicago, formed as a bishop in Peru, and forged by St. Augustine’s witness, Leo XIV begins his papacy with a quiet strength and global heart.
Pope Leo XIV and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have spoken on the phone following the pontiff’s plea for lasting peace in the country, the Vatican said Monday.
In his first address to international media on Monday, Pope Leo XIV thanked journalists for their service to the truth and for communicating peace in difficult times.
In his first Mass as head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV called on the faithful to “bear witness to our joyful faith in Jesus the Savior” in a world where “a lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life.”
The United States cardinals who were part of the conclave that on Thursday elected Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pontiff, called him “a citizen of the world,” in continuity with Pope Francis but with his own manner of doing things.
Americans gathered in St. Peter’s Square on May 8 to celebrate the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope. The 69-year-old Augustinian friar, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, was elected after just two days of conclave.
Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki has candidly confessed he “didn’t expect” the election of Pope Leo XIV, praising the new pontiff’s “warmth and humanity” while expressing hope for theological clarity concerning synodality.
Cardinal François-Xavier Bustillo praised Pope Leo XIV as a “solid, discreet, and good worker,” expressing confidence in his bold leadership following the May 8 conclave that elected him as the 267th pope.
Pope Leo XIV delivered his first official address to the College of Cardinals on Saturday, outlining his priorities in the age of AI while stressing continuity with past popes and commitment to Catholic social teaching.
Pope Leo XIV's pontifical name is a reflection of his intent to lead the Catholic Church with a "clear vision" amid a turbulent world, Italian Cardinal Fernando Filoni said Friday.
Pope Leo XIV, elected on Thursday, is the first pope from the Order of St. Augustine (OSA), also known as the Augustinians, an ancient religious order with thousands of members worldwide.
The Vatican unveiled Pope Leo XIV’s official portrait and signature Saturday, revealing the American pontiff’s embrace of traditional papal elements just two days after his historic election.