Pope Leo XIV will give his first Sunday blessing and his address to a crowd on Saint-Pierre square at the Vatican today.
He will recite the prayer of Regina Caeli, in honor of the Virgin Mary, in her first public speech since her election was announced with White Smoke on Thursday.
After delivering Sunday mass, Pope Leo will bless those who were gathered on the outdoor square – and deliver his reflections.
On Saturday, he visited a sanctuary outside Rome, then prayed in front of the tomb of his late predecessor Francis inside the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
Pope Leo will be officially inaugurated during a mass in St Peter’s Square next week May 18.
The pope was chosen Thursday as a new head of the Catholic church, following a two -day conclave in the city of the Vatican.
It was a week busy for the pontiff, who held his first mass as a pope in the Sistine Chapel Friday before talking to the Cardinals on Saturday.
During this meeting, he described himself as an unworthy choice for the Pope and swore to continue the “precious heritage” of his predecessor.
He stressed the importance of missionary work and discussion – as well as care to those he called “less and rejected”.
He explained that he had chosen the name of Leo after a 19th century pope known for his teaching on social justice.
The new Pope also suggested that the development of artificial intelligence and other progress meant that the Church was necessary today for the defense of human dignity and justice.
It should hold an audience with the media on Monday before its inauguration next Sunday.
As part of this mass, he will deliver a homily in the presence of many heads of state and dignitaries.
The 69-year-old man is the 267th occupant of the throne of Saint-Pierre and the first American to become a pontiff. He will direct the members of the world community of the Catholic Church of 1.4 billion people.
Born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, he worked for many years as a missionary in Peru before going to Archbishop. He also has a Peruvian nationality.
Although Leo was born in the United States, the Vatican described him as the second pope of the Americas. Pope Francis, of Argentina, was the first.
Pope Leo is widely considered a moderate who can offer “continuity” and “unity” after the death of his predecessor last month.
The new pontiff would have shared Francis’ opinions on migrants, the poor and the environment.
In his first speech, he told the crowd that he wanted to “walk with you as a united church by looking all together for peace and justice”.
