Pope Leo XIV, the first North American pope, emphasized unity, faith, and outreach in his first homily. A mediator within the Church, he is committed to peace and supporting the poor. His election has received global praise, including from U.S. President Trump. Prior to becoming pope, he criticized U.S. immigration policies.

Leo XIV, the first North American pope in the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history, delivered his first private homily with cardinals at the Vatican on Friday, just a day after his historic election.

The new pope celebrated the private Mass, which was broadcast live by the Vatican, at the Sistine Chapel with over 130 cardinals who had elected him. All those present, including the pope, were dressed in white—a symbol of unity, fraternity, and togetherness, as noted by church observers.

Leo XIV delivered the Mass in Italian, Latin, and English. He told the cardinals, "I know I can rely on each and every one of you to walk with me as we continue as a church, as a community of friends of Jesus, as believers, to announce the good news, to announce the Gospel."

The new pontiff expressed hope that his election would help illuminate "the dark nights of this world." He spoke about the church's work in addressing the "lack of faith" in many parts of the world, where "technology, money, success, power, or pleasure" are valued. In those places, he emphasized, "our missionary outreach is desperately needed." He also expressed concern that, for many, the Christian faith is viewed as "absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent."

Robert Prevost, 69, born in Chicago, was confirmed as the successor to the late Pope Francis on Thursday, with the traditional plume of white smoke signaling the conclave's choice. After his election, tens of thousands of well-wishers gathered in the Vatican, where Leo XIV appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to deliver a speech in English, Spanish, and Italian.

DW's religious affairs correspondent, Bernd Riegert, noted that Leo XIV is "a man of the poor, who cares for the disadvantaged in society." He predicted that the new pope would likely follow in the footsteps of the late Pope Francis. Leo XIV emphasized his desire for "peace" and "unity," and it is expected that he will work to mediate global conflicts, according to Riegert.

Prevost is described as a "mediator" between the more traditional conservative and reformist factions within the Church. Riegert observed that Leo XIV is not as progressive as Pope Francis but also not a traditionalist. He is seen as someone who will maintain continuity with his predecessor while not alienating conservatives. His aim is to unite the Church, which has been rocked by abuse scandals and declining membership in many parts of the Western world. However, it remains to be seen how his efforts to unite the Church will unfold.

Pope Leo XIV’s election makes him the first North American pope to lead the world’s estimated 1.4 billion Catholics.

Since his election, congratulations from world leaders have been pouring in, including from U.S. President Donald Trump, who expressed excitement, saying, "It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a great honor for our country," on his Truth Social platform.

Before his election as pope, Prevost had publicly criticized the Trump administration and U.S. Vice President JD Vance over their immigration policies. He shared an article arguing that "it ought to be clear that Catholics cannot support a rhetoric that demonizes immigrants as dangerously criminal simply because they have crossed the border in search of a better life for themselves and their families," and that "Catholics cannot celebrate aggressive deportation enforcement as a spectacle."