Pope Leo XIV held his first "Regina Cali" prayer on Sunday in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican.
The newly elected Holy Father conveyed this message a few hours after visiting the grave of his former Pope Francis.
"I hope to get here on the first day of the new ministry, that the church gave me to perform this task as Peter's successor," the pope said.
He also conveyed a message about the profession to young Catholics, saying, "Don't be afraid! Welcome the invitation from the church and the invitation from the Lord Christ!"
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Pope Leo Xiv offers Regina Caeli prayers from the main central loggia balcony of St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on 11 May 2025. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images)
He said: "May Virgin Mary respond to the call of the Lord throughout her life and always accompany us to follow Jesus."
Pope Leo also called for "no more war" in his speech to those who gathered in St. Peter's Square. He also called for a "real and lasting" peace in Ukraine, as well as a ceasefire in Gaza, and the release of all hostages held by Hamas.
The pope continued to say he thanked the ceasefire announced between India and Pakistan, adding that he was praying for God to give the world a “miracle of peace”.
Villanova graduated from Pope Leo Xiv
Pope Leo XIV meets Cardinal College on Saturday, May 10, 2025 in the new conference hall in the Vatican. (Vatican Media via AP)
"No more war!" said the pope, repeating the frequent call of the late Pope Francis and noting that the nearly 80th anniversary of the end of World War II killed about 60 million people.
First United States elected Pope, know Pope Leo XIV
In his The first official dialect As the pope on Saturday, Leo sent a powerful message to the Cardinal College, warning that artificial intelligence (AI) presents serious new risks to people’s dignity. He called on the Catholic Church to strengthen and respond to these challenges with moral clarity and bold action.
Pope Leo XIV meets Cardinal College on Saturday, May 10, 2025 in the new conference hall in the Vatican. (Vatican Media via AP)
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Pope Leo is a former missionary and head of the bishop, born in Robert Francis Prevost, speaks English, Spanish and Italian, and is widely regarded as a unified choice after the death of Pope Francis. His decision under the name "Leo" links his mission to social justice that Pope Leo XIII is concerned about.
Reuters contributed to the report.