Pope Leo XIV is celebrating his first Mass, the day after being elected pontiff – watch live above
He tells the cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel that he hopes his election can help the Catholic Church bring light to the “dark nights of this world”
Born in Chicago as Robert Prevost, he is the first North American to be elected pope – Donald Trump called it a “great honour”
Pope Leo, 69, is seen as a reformer and worked for many years as a missionary in Peru, which he reportedly calls his “second homeland”
The Pope has said the church must do more work in to places where there is a “lack of faith” as part of its mission.
“Even today, there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent,” he tells the Cardinals.
He adds that areas where “technology, money, success, power or pleasure” are preferred are “where our missionary outreach is desperately needed”.
He tells cardinals that he hopes his election can help the Catholic Church bring light to the “dark nights of this world” and that he can be a “faithful administrator” for the entire Church.
“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,” he says.
