A call to bear witness to joyful faith in Christ the Saviour marked the first Mass of Pope Leo XIV, celebrated on Friday, May 9, 2025, in the Sistine Chapel. Cardinal electors and other senior clergy attended the historic liturgy, held at the very site where the conclave elected the new pontiff as the 267th Pope on the fourth ballot the previous afternoon.
During the homily, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the ongoing need for cultivating a personal relationship with Christ and asserted that, without faith, life’s meaning is lost. The newly elected American-born pope began with words of gratitude in English, acknowledging the trust placed in him by the cardinal electors.
Quoting the responsorial Psalm, the pontiff declared, “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.” The address invited reflection on the marvels accomplished through the ministry of Peter and the blessings continually bestowed upon the Church.
The homily, delivered in Italian after the opening remarks, centered on the confession of St. Peter in the Gospel of Matthew: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This statement, Pope Leo XIV explained, represents a patrimony preserved and handed down through apostolic succession for two millennia.
The pope highlighted Christ’s revelation of the Father’s face, describing how God made Himself accessible in the trusting eyes of a child, the lively mind of a young person, and the mature features of a man, ultimately appearing to the disciples after the Resurrection with a glorious body. This, according to the homily, stands as a model of human holiness for imitation and offers the promise of an eternal destiny that transcends human limits.
Peter’s response to Christ, noted the pope, demonstrated both a gift from God and a path to transformation, inseparable aspects of salvation entrusted to the Church for the good of humanity. The homily underscored the Church’s mission to proclaim the Gospel to every creature, entrusted to those chosen before birth and reborn through baptism.
Recalling the election as the 267th Pope, Leo XIV described the role as a faithful administrator for the sake of the entire mystical Body of the Church. The pontiff reflected on Peter’s profession of faith, made in response to Christ’s question, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” This inquiry, the homily stated, addresses the world’s limitations and potential, its questions and convictions.
Two attitudes were outlined: one, the world’s rejection of Christ when His presence becomes inconvenient, and two, the view of Christ as merely an upright man, leading to disappointment and abandonment in times of trial.
The pope called for a daily journey of conversion, both personally and as a Church, marked by fidelity to the Lord and the mission of bringing the Good News to all. Citing Saint Ignatius of Antioch, the homily described the essential commitment of Church authority: to move aside so that Christ may remain, to become small so that He may be known and glorified, and to spend oneself so that all may have the opportunity to know and love Him.
Pope Leo XIV concluded with a prayer for grace through the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, as bells rang out across Rome and the world looked on, witnessing the beginning of a new chapter in the Church’s history.
