Pope Leo XIV, 69, will hold his inaugural mass this Sunday (18 May) after being elected on 8 May following Pope Francis’ death.
In his first official address, the American-born pontiff made headlines with controversial remarks on marriage and abortion. He stated that families should be founded on the “stable union between a man and a woman,” excluding non-heteronormative relationships. He also emphasized the dignity of both the unborn and the elderly.
A member of the Augustinian order, Leo has positioned peace as a key focus of his papacy, stressing that words, like weapons, can harm, and calling for societies to prioritize family and vulnerable populations.
