ROME – The air was thick with anticipation and the scent of incense as the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, the first American ever to ascend to the papacy, celebrated his inaugural Mass on Friday morning beneath the timeless frescoes of the Sistine Chapel. Less than 24 hours after his election, the 69-year-old former Cardinal Robert Prevost from Chicago took his place at the altar, surrounded by the cardinal electors who had chosen him to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics into a new era.

A Moment of History and Humility-

Clad in understated white and gold vestments, Pope Leo XIV began the ceremony with a brief address in English-a nod to his roots and a gentle break from tradition. “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,” he said, his voice steady but warm. He thanked the cardinals for their trust and called on them to walk with him as “a community of friends of Jesus… to announce the Good News, to announce the Gospel”.

A Homily for Troubled Times-

Switching to Italian, the Pope’s homily quickly turned to the challenges facing the modern Church. He spoke candidly about a world where faith is often dismissed as irrational or outdated, and where technology, wealth, and power are prized above all else. “Even now, there exist numerous environments where the Christian faith is deemed irrational, intended for the feeble-minded and uninformed… Yet, it is precisely in these settings that our missionary efforts are critically needed,” he declared.

He warned that a lack of faith often leads to a loss of life’s meaning, a disregard for mercy, and violations of human dignity-a message that resonated with many in the congregation, aware of the Church’s declining influence in some corners of the world.

A Church as a Beacon-

But this was not a homily of despair. Pope Leo XIV painted a vision of the Church as a “city on a hill, an ark of salvation navigating the waters of history, and a light that brightens the dark nights of this world.” He emphasized that the Church’s true greatness lies not in its grand buildings or ceremonies, but in the “sanctity of her members”-ordinary believers striving to live out the Gospel.

Looking to St. Peter-and the Future-

Drawing inspiration from St. Peter, the first pope, Leo XIV reflected on the enduring confession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” He reminded the cardinals that, like Peter, they are entrusted with both a gift and a mission-a faith to receive and a path to follow. “They are inseparable aspects of salvation entrusted to the Church to be proclaimed for the good of the human race,” he said.

A Papacy Begins-

As the Mass concluded, the sense of history was unmistakable. The cardinals, dressed in white to symbolize unity, rose to greet their new leader. Outside, the bells of St. Peter’s rang out across Rome, carrying with them the hopes and prayers of Catholics worldwide.

Pope Leo XIV’s first homily was both a call to courage and a plea for companionship-a reminder that, even in a skeptical age, the Church’s mission endures. As he left the chapel, the world watched, wondering what this new papacy will bring, and whether Leo XIV’s vision of a Church as a beacon of hope can take root in the “dark nights” he so eloquently described.