Cardinals to return home after Pope Leo XIV's first Mass
Newly installed Pope Leo XIV will celebrate a Mass with cardinals in the Sistine Chapel on Friday (9), a day after being elected leader of the Catholic Church, becoming the first pontiff from the United States.
After Mass, the pontiff will have lunch with the cardinals who elected him, and then they will be free to leave the Vatican and return to their homes around the world.
The election of Cardinal Robert Prevost , a Chicago native who served for many years as a missionary in Latin America, came after a quick two-day conclave that ended on Thursday night (8) when white smoke billowed from the chapel's chimney .
The successor to Pope Francis, who died last month at the age of 88, inherits a series of major challenges, ranging from a budget deficit to disagreements over whether the church should be more welcoming to the LGBTQIA+ community and the divorced.
In addition to allowing women to play a greater role in their affairs.
President Donald Trump was quick to congratulate Leo on becoming the first U.S. pope .
“What a thrill and what a great honor for our country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very significant moment!”
However, the new pope, 69, has a history of criticizing the policies of Trump and Vice President JD Vance, according to posts on Robert Prevost's X social media account.
