Leo XIV, the first North American pope in the Catholic Church's 2,000-year history, held his first private homily with cardinals at the Vatican on Friday, a day after his historic election.

The new pope celebrated the private Mass — which was broadcast live by the Vatican — at the Sistine Chapel with the more than 130 cardinals who elected him.

The pope and the cardinals were all dressed in white, a sign of unity, fraternity and togetherness, according to church observers.

What did the pope say during the homily?

Leo XIV delivered the mass in Italian, Latin and English.

"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," he said.

He told the assembled cardinals that he hopes his election can help the church illuminate "the dark nights of this world."

The new pontiff addressed the work the church needs to do to tackle the "lack of faith" in many places around the world where "technology, money, success, power or pleasure" are valued — places where "our missionary outreach is desperately needed," he said.
 
Leo also lamented that, for many, the Christian faith "is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent."

What do we know about the new pope's beliefs?

Chicago-born Robert Prevost, 69, was confirmed as the successor to the late Pope Francis on Thursday, when plumes of white smoke billowed out from the Sistine Chapel's chimney — the traditional sign that the conclave of cardinals has chosen a new pope.

After his historic election, tens of thousands of well-wishers gathered in the Vatican on Thursday evening as Leo XIV appeared on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to deliver a speech in English, Spanish and Italian.

Bernd Riegert, DW's religious affairs correspondent, said Leo will be "a man of the poor, who cares for the disadvantaged in society." He added that the new pontiff would likely "follow in the footsteps of the late Pope Francis."

In his first public appearance on Thursday, Leo said he will advocate for "peace" and "unity," "so we can expect him to try to mediate in all these conflicts we have around the world," Riegert told DW News.

Prevost is "a mediator" between more traditional conservative and reformist camps within the Catholic Church, Riegert said.

"He's not as progressive as Pope Francis, but he's also not a traditionalist," said Riegert, adding that Leo represents continuity with his predecessor but also won't alienate conservatives.

"He wants to unite the church," which has been damaged by a series of abuse scandals and declining membership in much of the Western world. But it remains to see how exactly those attempts to unify the church will play out, Riegert added.

What has been the reaction to Leo XIV's election?

Pope Leo XIV's election makes him the first North American to lead the world's estimated 1.4 billion Catholics.

Congratulations from world leaders have been pouring in since yesterday, including from US President Donald Trump.

"It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Before his election as pontiff, Prevost appeared to publicly criticize the Trump administration and US Vice President JD Vance over its immigration policies.

He shared an article which said that "it ought to be clear that Catholics cannot support a rhetoric that demonizes immigrants as dangerously criminal simply because they have crossed the border in search of a better life for themselves and their families. It ought to be clear that Catholics cannot celebrate aggressive deportation enforcement as a spectacle."

Edited by: Kieran Burke