First dates of Pope Leo XIV announced

Vatican City - Barely two hours after the first US-American in the papal office greeted the cheering crowd from St Peter's Basilica, his first appointments were announced. Leo XIV plans to receive media representatives in Rome on Monday.

Published on 08.05.2025 at 21:50 –

The newly elected Pope Leo XIV already has his first fixed appointments: After a dinner with the cardinals of the conclave on Thursday, he plans to celebrate Mass with them in the Sistine Chapel on Friday at 11 a.m., the Vatican announced on Thursday evening.

On Sunday at 12 noon, the 267th Bishop of Rome will hold his first midday prayer on the central loggia of St Peter's Basilica. On Monday at 10 a.m., the newly elected head of 1.4 billion Catholics will hold an audience for media representatives from all over the world.

Election after just under 24 hours

On Thursday, the US curia cardinal Robert Francis Prevost (69) was elected by 133 cardinals as the successor to Pope Francis. The latter died on 21 April at the age of 88. The electors made their decision just 24 hours after the start of the conclave in the Sistine Chapel. Prevost, who headed the Augustinian order for many years, is the first native-born American to hold the office of Pope. He also has Peruvian citizenship because he was a bishop in Peru for nine years.

Since the death and funeral of Pope Francis, around 5,000 journalists from all over the world have been in Rome. The announcement of the first papal appointments by Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni was greeted with joyful applause by the journalists working in the Vatican press room. (KNA)