Mass to Inaugurate the Pontificate of Pope Leo XIV

The Inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV will begin Sunday, May 18 at 10:00 a.m. CEST (4:00 a.m. EDT). 

Watch live:

Pope Leo XIV's New Coat of Arms: "In Illo Uno Unum"

In a move that is already being hailed as both theologically rich and symbolically profound, Pope Leo XIV has unveiled his official coat of arms—an emblem that weaves together elements of classical heraldry with deeply personal and spiritual motifs. The design was officially released by the Vatican on May 10.

The shield, central to the design, is divided diagonally in a dynamic layout that immediately captures attention. The upper-left field is a striking Marian blue featuring a silver fleur-de-lis—a traditional symbol of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This element signals Leo XIV’s deep Marian devotion, echoing his first papal homily in which he referred to Mary as “the star who guides the barque of Peter.” The fleur-de-lis is also historically associated with purity and divine grace, further reinforcing Mary’s role as the spiritual mother of the Church.

The lower-right field, rendered in a soft gold hue, contains two elements loaded with theological significance: a red Sacred Heart aflame and pierced, resting atop a book—the traditional symbol for the Order of St. Augustine.

The Sacred Heart resting atop the book it is not merely an emblem of Christ’s love, but also a visual allusion to the conversion of St. Augustine, who once cried out, “Vulnerasti cor meum verbo tuo”—“You have pierced my heart with your Word.” The flame represents the divine charity that consumed Augustine and has ignited generations of believers, while the pierced heart evokes not only the redemptive wound of Christ but also the transformative power of divine truth encountered in Scripture.

Pope Leo XIV, in placing these symbols together, draws a line from personal conversion to ecclesial mission—suggesting that the Church must be set ablaze by the Word before it can effectively evangelize the world.

Behind the shield stand the traditional papal insignia: the gold and silver keys of St. Peter, crossed behind the papal mitre. Pope Leo XIV continues the modern tradition of his immediate predecessors by choosing the mitre rather than the triregnum, signaling a papacy grounded in pastoral humility rather than temporal sovereignty. The mitre bears three gold bands, which symbolize the pope’s threefold power: Orders, Jurisdiction, and Magisterium. This choice emphasizes not only continuity with recent papacies but also the theological weight of the Petrine office, exercised in service to unity and truth.

At the base of the coat of arms is Pope Leo XIV’s chosen motto: “In Illo Uno Unum”—Latin for “In the One, we are one.” The phrase refers to Christ as “the One,” and is drawn not from Scripture directly, but from a sermon by St. Augustine, who spoke of the Church’s unity as being rooted in union with Christ. The motto captures Leo XIV’s deeply theological understanding of Christian communion—not merely institutional, but mystical and Christocentric.

By anchoring his pontificate in this Augustinian vision, the pope is signaling a desire for unity that transcends factionalism and partisanship, rooted instead in a shared participation in the divine life. It reflects a pastoral emphasis on reconciliation, spiritual renewal, and the healing of both internal Church wounds and external divisions with the wider Christian world.

Observers have noted the coat of arms as a return to more classical ecclesiastical heraldry. The National Catholic Register described it as “a re-centering of papal symbolism on timeless theological themes,” while the Catholic News Agency pointed out its “clear Christocentric and Marian focus, devoid of political or cultural references.”

Yet the symbolism is not merely traditional—it is strategic. As Vatican News reported, “Every element was chosen to reflect Pope Leo XIV’s pastoral priorities: Christ first, Mary as guide, the Word as foundation, and unity as the mission.” Even the colors serve theological purposes: blue for heaven and Marian fidelity; gold for divine light; red for sacrificial love.

In a Church still navigating the uncertainties of modern secularism, Pope Leo XIV’s coat of arms serves as a visual catechesis. It invites the faithful to re-anchor themselves in the sacred heart of Christ, guided by the Virgin, rooted in the Gospel, and united in mission. It is both a return and a challenge—a call to renewal through fidelity.

As the pontificate of Leo XIV begins to unfold, his heraldic emblem will remain a visible standard of his vision for the Church: one, holy, and aflame with the love of Christ.

Pope Leo's First Mass

Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Mass as the newly elected Roman Pontiff with the College of Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel on Friday, May 9.

A full replay of the Mass is available on YouTube:

Here is the full text of his homily:

I will begin with a word in English, and the rest is in Italian.

But I want to repeat the words from the Responsorial Psalm: “I will sing a new song to the Lord, because he has done marvels.”

And indeed, not just with me but with all of us. My brother Cardinals, as we celebrate this morning, I invite you to recognize the marvels that the Lord has done, the blessings that the Lord continues to pour out on all of us through the Ministry of Peter.

You have called me to carry that cross, and to be blessed with that mission, and 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.

[Continued in Italian:] “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16). In these words, Peter, asked by the Master, together with the other disciples, about his faith in him, expressed the patrimony that the Church, through the apostolic succession, has preserved, deepened and handed on for two thousand years.

Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God: the one Saviour, who alone reveals the face of the Father.

In him, God, in order to make himself close and accessible to men and women, revealed himself to us in the trusting eyes of a child, in the lively mind of a young person and in the mature features of a man (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 22), finally appearing to his disciples after the resurrection with his glorious body. He thus showed us a model of human holiness that we can all imitate, together with the promise of an eternal destiny that transcends all our limits and abilities.

Peter, in his response, understands both of these things: the gift of God and the path to follow in order to allow himself to be changed by that gift. They are two inseparable aspects of salvation entrusted to the Church to be proclaimed for the good of the human race. Indeed, they are entrusted to us, who were chosen by him before we were formed in our mothers’ wombs (cf. Jer 1:5), reborn in the waters of Baptism and, surpassing our limitations and with no merit of our own, brought here and sent forth from here, so that the Gospel might be proclaimed to every creature (cf. Mk 16:15).

In a particular way, God has called me by your election to succeed the Prince of the Apostles, and has entrusted this treasure to me so that, with his help, I may be its faithful administrator (cf. 1 Cor 4:2) for the sake of the entire mystical Body of the Church. He has done so in order that she may be ever more fully a city set on a hill (cf. Rev 21:10), an ark of salvation sailing through the waters of history and a beacon that illumines the dark nights of this world. And this, not so much through the magnificence of her structures or the grandeur of her buildings – like the monuments among which we find ourselves – but rather through the holiness of her members. For we are the people whom God has chosen as his own, so that we may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called us out of darkness into his marvellous light (cf. 1 Pet 2:9).

Peter, however, makes his profession of faith in reply to a specific question: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (Mt16:13). The question is not insignificant. It concerns an essential aspect of our ministry, namely, the world in which we live, with its limitations and its potential, its questions and its convictions.

“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” If we reflect on the scene we are considering, we might find two possible answers, which characterize two different attitudes.

First, there is the world’s response. Matthew tells us that this conversation between Jesus and his disciples takes place in the beautiful town of Caesarea Philippi, filled with luxurious palaces, set in a magnificent natural landscape at the foot of Mount Hermon, but also a place of cruel power plays and the scene of betrayals and infidelity. This setting speaks to us of a world that considers Jesus a completely insignificant person, at best someone with an unusual and striking way of speaking and acting. And so, once his presence becomes irksome because of his demands for honesty and his stern moral requirements, this “world” will not hesitate to reject and eliminate him.

Then there is the other possible response to Jesus’ question: that of ordinary people. For them, the Nazarene is not a charlatan, but an upright man, one who has courage, who speaks well and says the right things, like other great prophets in the history of Israel. That is why they follow him, at least for as long as they can do so without too much risk or inconvenience. Yet to them he is only a man, and therefore, in times of danger, during his passion, they too abandon him and depart disappointed.

What is striking about these two attitudes is their relevance today. They embody notions that we could easily find on the lips of many men and women in our own time, even if, while essentially identical, they are expressed in different language.

Even today, there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent. Settings where other securities are preferred, like technology, money, success, power, or pleasure.

These are contexts where it is not easy to preach the Gospel and bear witness to its truth, where believers are mocked, opposed, despised or at best tolerated and pitied. Yet, precisely for this reason, they are the places where our missionary outreach is desperately needed. 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.

Today, too, there are many settings in which Jesus, although appreciated as a man, is reduced to a kind of charismatic leader or superman. This is true not only among non-believers but also among many baptized Christians, who thus end up living, at this level, in a state of practical atheism.

This is the world that has been entrusted to us, a world in which, as Pope Francis taught us so many times, we are called to bear witness to our joyful faith in Jesus the Saviour. Therefore, it is essential that we too repeat, with Peter: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16).

It is essential to do this, first of all, in our personal relationship with the Lord, in our commitment to a daily journey of conversion. Then, to do so as a Church, experiencing together our fidelity to the Lord and bringing the Good News to all (cf. Lumen Gentium, 1).

I say this first of all to myself, as the Successor of Peter, as I begin my mission as Bishop of Rome and, according to the well-known expression of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, am called to preside in charity over the universal Church (cf. Letter to the Romans, Prologue). Saint Ignatius, who was led in chains to this city, the place of his impending sacrifice, wrote to the Christians there: “Then I will truly be a disciple of Jesus Christ, when the world no longer sees my body” (Letter to the Romans, IV, 1). Ignatius was speaking about being devoured by wild beasts in the arena – and so it happened – but his words apply more generally to an indispensable commitment for all those in the Church who exercise a ministry of authority. It is to move aside so that Christ may remain, to make oneself small so that he may be known and glorified (cf. Jn 3:30), to spend oneself to the utmost so that all may have the opportunity to know and love him.

May God grant me this grace, today and always, through the loving intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church.

Inauguration Mass Scheduled for May 18

According to the Vatican Press Office, the Mass to Inaugurate Pontificate of Pope Leo XIV will take place on Sunday, May 18 in St. Peter's Square.

Pope Leo's First Greeting and Urbi et Orbi Blessing: "Peace Be With You!"

Yesterday, Pope Leo XIV greeted the the world from the balcony above St. Peter's Basilica. Here is the English translation of his first address:

[In Italian] Peace be with you! Dearest brothers and sisters, this was the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave His life for the flock of God. I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are; and all the peoples, and all the earth: Peace be with you.

This is the peace of the Risen Christ, a disarming and humble and preserving peace. It comes from God. God, who loves all of us, without any limits or conditions. Let us keep in our ears the weak but always brave voice of Pope Francis, who blessed Rome - the Pope who blessed Rome and the world that day on the morning of Easter.

Allow me to continue that same blessing. God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God. Without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we will go forward. We are disciples of Christ, Christ goes before us, and the world needs His light. Humanity needs Him like a bridge to reach God and His love. You help us to build bridges with dialogue and encounter so we can all be one people always in peace.

Thank you Pope Francis!

Thank you to my Cardinal brothers who chose me to be the Successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a united Church searching all together for peace and justice, working together as women and men, faithful to Jesus Christ without fear, proclaiming Christ, to be missionaries, faithful to the gospel.

I am a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian. He said, “With you I am a Christian, for you a bishop." So may we all walk together towards that homeland that God has prepared for us.

To the Church of Rome, a special greeting:

We have to look together how to be a missionary Church, building bridges, dialogue, always open to receiving with open arms for everyone, like this square, open to all, to all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.

[In Spanish]: Hello to all and especially to those of my diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, a loyal, faithful people accompanying the bishop and helping the bishop.

[Returning to Italian]: To all you brothers and sisters of Rome, Italy, of all the world, we want to be a synodal church, walking and always seeking peace, charity, closeness, especially to those who are suffering.

Today is the day of the Supplicatio [Plea] to Our Lady of Pompei.

Our blessed mother Mary always wants to walk with us, be close to us, she always wants to help us with her intercession and her love. So let us pray together for this mission, and for all of the Church, and for peace in the world.

We ask for this special grace from Mary, our Mother.

Hail Mary, [joined by crowd in the square...] full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

[Applause from crowd]

Cardinal Mamberti then announced that Pope Leo XIV would proceed with a blessing.

Here are the words of Cardinal Mamberti: "The Holy Father Leo to all the faithful present and to those who receive his blessing through radio, television, and other technologies of communication, grants the plenary indulgence in the form established by the Church. Let us pray to Almighty God that he may preserve for long the Pope as guide of the Church and grant peace and unity to the Church throughout the world."

Pope Leo XIV then delivered the Papal Blessing Benedictio Coram Populo:

[In Latin:] May the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, in whose power and authority we trust, intercede for us before the Lord. Amen.

Through the prayers and merits of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, Blessed John the Baptist and the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul and of all the Saints: may Almighty God have mercy upon you, forgive all your sins, and may Jesus Christ bring you to everlasting life. Amen.

May the Almighty and most merciful God grant you forgiveness, absolution and remission of all your sins, time for a true and worthy penance, an ever-penitent heart, and true amendment of life, the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit and final perseverance in good works. Amen.

And may the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit come down upon you and remain with you always. Amen.

Pope Leo XIV Emerges

Meet Pope Leo XIV.

Pope Leo XIV

ANNUNTIO VOBIS GAUDIUM MAGNUM.

HABEMUS PAPAM!

Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Robertum Franciscum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Prevost qui sibi nomen imposuit LEONEM XIV.

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, is the new Pope. He has chosen the name Leo.

Pope Leo XIV will emerge from the balcony momentarily.

HABEMUS PAPAM!

HABEMUS PAPAM!

The new Pope will be introduced to the world from the balcony within a matter of moments. Stay tuned!

New Pope Prepares to Meet the World in the Room of Tears

The new Pope is moments away from stepping onto the balcony above St. Peter's Basilica. But first, he dons the new Papal cassock in the "room of tears."

White Smoke!

White smoke is coming out of the Sistine Chapel chimney. We have a Pope!

The new Pope will be introduced to the world very shortly. Stay tuned!

Day 2 Morning Votes: Black Smoke

More black smoke emerged from the Vatican's Sistine Chapel chimney after the two morning votes concluded. No candidate has emerged with the two-thirds majority required to elect a new Pope.

The Cardinal Electors will break for lunch, and then return to the Sistine Chapel for an afternoon round of voting later today.

Stay tuned!

Conclave Voting Schedule

As we head into Day 2 of the Conclave, here is a handy visual of the schedule from our friends at OSV News:

Note: These times are given according to local time in Rome (Central European Summer Time). Eastern Daylight Time in the United States is 6 hours behind Rome. If a Pope is elected in the first ballot of Day 2, we could see smoke as early as 10:30 a.m. CEST, which is 4:30 a.m. EDT in the United States.

Stay tuned!

Black Smoke

The first vote of the 2025 Conclave to elect the 267th Pope has concluded, and the smoke pouring forth from the Sistine Chapel chimney is black. Much to the chagrin of the thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square, no candidate has received the two-thirds majority required.

Voting for today has concluded. There will be up to four rounds of voting tomorrow.

Stay tuned to The Pope Blog for the latest.

Conclave Smoke Cam: The Vatican Sistine Chapel Chimney

With the command, "Extra omnes," the conclave to elect the 267th Pope is now underway. There is one round of voting today, followed by up to four rounds of voting tomorrow if necessary. Watch the world's most famous chimney, LIVE via our friends at MSNBC:

Extra Omnes

The doors of the Sistine Chapel have been shut and the cardinals have begun the conclave to elect the 267th Roman Pontiff.

Conclave Begins

At 4:30 p.m. CET, the entry into the Conclave and the taking of the oath for the election of the Roman Pontiff will begin.

The 133 Cardinal Electors will take the oath in accordance with the provisions of the Ordo Rituum Conclavis.

Watch live:

Holy Mass “pro eligendo Romano Pontifice”

Holy Mass "pro eligendo Romano Pontifice" (for electing the Roman Pontiff) was celebrated this morning in St. Peter's Basilica in front of the College of Cardinals and thousands of faithful.

Per the Vatican Press Office, here is the entire text of the homily delivered by His Eminence Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re:

Top 12 Papabile on the Eve of the 2025 Conclave

The election of a new pope is one of the most consequential events in global Christian life, and speculation about who might follow Pope Francis has intensified on the eve of tomorrow’s conclave.

While no one can predict the outcome of a conclave with certainty—remember the famed Vatican adage “He who enters the conclave as pope leaves as a cardinal”—it is possible to evaluate which cardinals have emerged as strong contenders.

Let’s run through a dozen cardinals who are widely discussed in ecclesiastical circles as papabile, and sort them into three tiers based on “conventional wisdom.”

Sistine Chapel Chimney Erected

In preparation for the beginning of the conclave to elect the 267th pope, firefighters at the Vatican have attached to the roof of the Sistine Chapel the chimney pipe that the world will watch anxiously beginning next week.

The smoke that eminates from the chimney will signal the end of each balloting session by the College of Cardinals, when the ballots themselves are thrown into the fireplace within the chapel. Black smoke rising from the chimney indicates that the vote did not result in an election; but when white smoke puffs out, the world will know that a new Pope has been elected.

According to Reuters, the chimney is clearly visible from the nearby St Peter's Square, where thousands are expected to gather during the conclave to see how the secret balloting is progressing.

Sede Vacante Stamps Issued

The Vatican City's Postal and Philately Service has issued a series of stamps to mark this period of Sede Vacante.

The stamps are printed with the phrase "Sede Vacante MMXXV." According to the Vatican State website, the stamps "depict the Allegory of the Apostolic See supported by angels under which figure the crossed keys." The new stamps are available in denominations of €1.25, €1.30, €2.45, and €3.20 and are available for purchase at the Post Office kiosk in St. Peter’s Square and at all public Vatican City Post offices.

Conclave Will Begin on May 7

The Vatican has announced that the 2025 Conclave to elect the next Bishop of Rome is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

Approximately 135 members of the College of Cardinals will decide who is to become the 267th Pope of the Universal Church.

Pope Francis Laid to Rest

An estimated 250,000 people attended the Funeral Mass of the Late Roman Pontiff Francis on Saturday. Later that day, the Pope's body was transported through Rome to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major, where he was interred.

Watch Live: Funeral Mass of Pope Francis

The Funeral Mass for Pope Francis will begin at 10:00 a.m. CEST in St. Peter's Square. It will be livestreamed on YouTube by Vatican News:

The booklet for the Mass can be found here: https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/libretti/2025/20250426-libretto-esequie-sepoltura.pdf

Pope Francis Lies in State Ahead of Funeral on Saturday

The body of Pope Francis is now lying in state in St. Peter's Basilica.

His mortal remains will continue to lie in an open casket until his funeral on Saturday. The faithful will be able to pay their respects on Wednesday and Thursday evening until midnight. Below is video recording of the celebration of translation of the coffin of Pope Francis to St. Peter's Basilica.

Photo credit: Vatican News.

Pope Francis Will Be Buried in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major

Pope Francis will become the first pope to be interred outside the Vatican since Pope Leo XIII in 1903.

The Vatican has published the testament of Pope Francis, which he signed on June 29, 2022. The testament gives instructions for the Holy Father's final resting place at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.

Below is the entirety of the Testament of the Holy Father Francis:

Miserando atque Eligendo

In the Name of the Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

As I sense that the twilight of my earthly life is approaching, and with firm hope in Eternal Life, I wish to express my final wishes regarding my burial place.

I have always entrusted my life and priestly and episcopal ministry to the Mother of Our Lord, Mary Most Holy. Therefore, I ask that my mortal remains rest, awaiting the day of resurrection, in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

I wish that my final earthly journey conclude precisely in this ancient Marian shrine, where I go to pray at the beginning and end of every Apostolic Journey to faithfully entrust my intentions to the Immaculate Mother and to give thanks for her gentle and maternal care.

I ask that my tomb be prepared in the burial niche in the side nave between the Pauline Chapel (Chapel of the Salus Populi Romani) and the Sforza Chapel of the aforementioned Papal Basilica, as indicated in the enclosed plan.

The tomb should be in the ground; simple, without particular ornamentation, and bearing only the inscription: Franciscus.

The expenses for the preparation of my burial will be covered by a benefactor and the sum will be transferred to the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major. I have given the appropriate instructions to Monsignor Rolandas Makrickas, Extraordinary Commissioner of the Liberian Chapter.

May the Lord grant the deserved reward to those who have wished me well and will continue to pray for me. The suffering that marked the final part of my life, I offer to the Lord, for peace in the world and brotherhood among peoples.

Domus Sanctae Marthae, 29 June 2022

FRANCIS

Photo credit: By Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore - Own work, CC BY 4.0, Link

Pope Francis Is Dead

Pope Francis has died at age 88, one day after greeting the Easter Sunday crowds at St. Peter's Basilica and bestowing his Urbi et Orbi blessing.

The death was announced this morning by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church:

"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."

Holy See Press Office: Pope Francis Has Double Pneumonia

Pope Francis, who was hospitalized last Friday at Gemelli Hospital in Rome to treat bronchitis, has developed pneumonia in both of his lungs.

The Holy See Press Office said in a statement tonight, "Laboratory tests, chest X-rays, and the clinical condition of the Holy Father continue to present a complex picture."

Also according to the statement: "Pope Francis remains in good spirits."

And finally: The Pope has "received the Eucharist and, throughout the day, alternated between rest, prayer, and reading. He expresses his gratitude for the support he feels at this time and kindly asks that prayers for him continue."