Newly elected Pope Leo XIV (C) appears on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, at the Vatican, May 8, 2025 - Photo: Vatican News.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, aged 69, was elected as Pope on Thursday, becoming the first American cardinal to have been selected as pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, describes Pope Leo XIV’s first message to the world as a call to peace and dialogue. He also highlights the significance of his name as a clear reference to the Church’s social teaching in the modern age.

Pope Leo XIV’s  inaugural Mass will be held in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, May 18 at 10am Rome time, according to the Holy See Press Office.

The prior pontiff, Pope Francis, died on April 21 at age 88 after leading the Roman Catholic Church for 12 years./.