The inauguration mass of the newly elected head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, will take place on Sunday, May 18, in St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican announced.

 

World leaders are expected to gather for the event, to be held 10 days after the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the first American head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

The Vatican said the new pontiff would meet with journalists on Monday and diplomats accredited to the Holy See the following Friday.

Pope Leo’s first general audience will be on Wednesday, May 21, and he will meet with members of the Roman Curia, top Vatican officials, on May 24.

 

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was announced as the first U.S. pontiff on Thursday after white smoke emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel following four rounds of voting in the papal conclave.