New Pope to officially ascend to the throne on May 18
During the first Mass, he called his election both a blessing and a heavy cross
The new Pope Leo XIV will be officially inaugurated on May 18 at a Mass. This was reported by with reference to the Vatican's statement.
The first joint audience with the Pope will take place on May 21.
In a speech to the cardinals in the Sistine Chapel on May 9, Leo XIV said that his election was both a heavy cross and a blessing. He acknowledged the great responsibility that now rests with him.
"You have called me to carry this cross and to be blessed with this mission, and I know that I can rely on each and every one of you. That you will walk with me as we as a church, as a community, as friends of Jesus, as believers, continue to proclaim the good news, to proclaim the gospel," he said .
- Pope Francis died on Monday, April 21. Almost a month earlier, the Pope had been discharged from the hospital after severe treatment for bilateral pneumonia. He was the 266th head of the Roman Catholic Church and had held the position since March 13, 2013..
- On May 8, Pope Francis 's successor was elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States, who took the name of Pope Leo XIV. Trump and Zelenskyy, as well as other world leaders congratulated the new Pope on his election.