Although Leo XIV may bring some surprises in his first steps as the new Supreme Pontiff, some of the acts are already well marked in the papal agenda of this American and Peruvian Augustinian who has become the 267th successor of the Apostle Peter at the helm of the Catholic Church. After greeting the thousands of gathered faithful on the main Vatican balcony, the one who awoke yesterday as Cardinal Robert Prevost, 69 years old, will celebrate his first mass on Friday morning starting at 11:00 as Pope Leo XIV in the Sistine Chapel, the place that has marked his path from now on.
One of the aspects that raised the most curiosity was his place of residence, as there was a turning point with Francis. According to Italian television, the Pope will continue to temporarily live in the seat of the Holy Office - where he spent the first night - until the restructuring works of the Apostolic Palace are completed.
Robert Prevost, the American and Peruvian cardinal turned new Pope as Leo XIV
All the cardinal electors who have decided that he should be the new leader of the 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide will attend this mass. The tradition until the election of Bergoglio 12 years ago indicated that the new Pope would sit on a throne and the cardinals would kiss his ring.
Francis preferred not to do it because he found it something from the Middle Ages, very distant from the meaning he wanted to give to his Papacy - like choosing to reside in Santa Marta instead of the papal apartments or wearing worn-out shoes - and it is unknown if Prevost will follow his example. Yesterday, he did take the gold cross and presented himself in the papal colors and attire, unlike his predecessor, who simplified his clothing to the maximum.
In his first hours at the helm of the Vatican, the previous Pope received a group of journalists who had reported on his appointment from Rome, an audience that Prevost will repeat next Monday. In the case of the Argentine, he explained to the reporters the reason why he chose the name of Saint Francis of Assisi, the saint of the poor. A decision that surprised at the time because Bergoglio was from the Jesuit order, founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola.
The next Sunday will be one of the days that will go down in the annals of the new Pontificate. Leo XIV will celebrate his first Angelus prayer and give his blessing from the central Loggia of St. Peter's Basilica, where he greeted as the new Pope and, in all likelihood, will offer more insights into the direction his Pontificate will take. In his presentation as Supreme Pontiff yesterday afternoon, he made it clear that he will adopt many of the pillars with which Francis marked his ministry.
Without a clear date yet, the new Pope will celebrate the Inaugural Mass of the Pontificate, a kind of papal investiture, attended by political and religious leaders from around the world. It usually takes place five or six days after the election of the new Pope. This act has a special symbolism as it marks the beginning of his Petrine journey.
Subsequently, the new Pontiff will tour St. Peter's Square in the papalmobile for the first time and deliver a homily in which he will outline his priorities.
In the coming days, Leo XIV will also have to decide whether to maintain or replace the main positions in the Curia, such as the prefects of the dicasteries and the Secretary of State, the number 2 of the Vatican, currently the Italian Pietro Parolin, one of the cardinals who entered this conclave as a favorite and who fulfilled the saying that condemns them to not sit on the throne of St. Peter.
In addition to being the Pope, the Pontiff is the Bishop of Rome. Another important step on which the Vatican must confirm a date is when he will take possession as the new bishop of the eternal city in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, which is where the Roman cathedra is, but it is also the episcopal seat of the Pope.
Another question is when Leo XIV will celebrate his first official trip. Francis had been invited to travel to Turkey to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea in 325, only 12 years after Constantine granted freedom of worship to Christianity. It is considered the first ecumenical council of the Church, and its commemoration is seen as an important moment in Catholic-Orthodox relations, reports AP. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, welcomed Leo's election on Thursday and expressed hope that he would join in this celebration.