VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Mass on Friday in the Sistine Chapel where he was elected less than 24 hours earlier, warning of the dangers caused by a lack of faith and hoping the Catholic Church could be a beacon lighting the world's "dark nights". Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost and the first US pope, looked calm as he delivered the Mass in the famous, frescoed chapel with the same cardinals who chose him to be the 267th pontiff and the successor to Pope Francis. Dressed in relatively simple white and gold vestments, Leo, who was born in Chicago but spent two decades as a missionary in Peru, said a few words in English before continuing his homily in fluent Italian.
The new pope, who leads 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, acknowledged that the Christian faith is sometimes "considered absurd" and the preserve of "the weak and unintelligent". "A lack of faith is often tragically accompanied by the loss of meaning in life, the neglect of mercy, appalling violations of human dignity, the crisis of the family and so many other wounds that afflict our society," he said.
An inauguration Mass for Leo will be held in St Peter's Square on Sunday May 18, the Vatican said. World and religious leaders are invited to the inauguration, which marks the formal launch of a papacy. Pope Francis' inauguration in 2013 attracted a crowd estimated at 200,000 people. The new pope will also leave senior Vatican officials in their roles for the time being, giving him time to decide before making definitive appointments, the Vatican said.
All Vatican senior officials, appointed for five-year terms, serve at the pleasure of the pope. A new pontiff usually rolls over existing mandates at least initially before deciding whether to change key positions. The pope was elected at the end of a two-day conclave that was wrapped up on Thursday evening when white smoke billowed from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel. The successor to Pope Francis inherits a number of major challenges, ranging from a budget shortfall to divisions. He will also have a packed agenda, with the Vatican celebrating a Holy Year that brings millions of additional tourists to Rome. — Reuters
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