On Saturday, May 31, Pope Leo XIV marked the end of May outside the Church of Santo Stefano degli Abissini in the Vatican. When they were there, the faithful began a candlelit procession as they made their way up to the Grotto of Lourdes.
Following the procession, the pontiff joined those present at the Grotto and gave a short address. He first expressed his joy at being part of the vigil, describing it as “a gesture of faith through which, in a simple and devout way, we gather under the maternal mantle of Mary”.
On Sunday, June 1, Leo will greet the cyclists of the Giro d’Italia as they pass through Vatican City State. The event will also serve as a tribute to the late Pope Francis. The final stage of the 108th edition of the Giro d’Italia will start from the Baths of Caracalla. In a non-competitive format, the cyclists will enter Vatican City and ride approximately two miles.
Leo XIV celebrated his first Mass as the Bishop of Rome on May 25, taking possession of the cathedral in the Basilica of St. John Lateran. The church, founded in 324, is the oldest public church in Rome and the highest-ranking of the four major papal basilicas.
On May 8, 133 cardinals named former Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States the new pope after Pope Francis’ death. This makes Prevost the first American pope in world history. Prevost, 69, took the name Leo XIV.
Leo was born in Chicago and became a missionary, spending much of his career in Peru as a minister. He was also the prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery of Bishops, starting in 2023 under Pope Francis. He was then promoted to cardinal-bishop in February by his predecessor.
