The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV will officially assume his office on May 18 and will preside over his first general audience on May 21. His schedule includes meetings with cardinals, Vatican officials, the media, diplomats, and the public in the coming days.The Vatican on Friday provided a schedule of Leo’s upcoming agenda which includes meetings with cardinals, Vatican officials, the media, diplomatic corps, and the general public.
The Vatican also stated that Leo XIV has requested all Vatican office heads, who technically lost their positions following the death of Pope Francis, to resume their duties until further notice. He expressed his intention to take time for reflection, prayer, and dialogue before making any final decisions on confirming them permanently.
Cardinal Robert Prevost, a 69-year-old Augustinian missionary and former archbishop in Peru, was elected the 267th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. Born in Chicago in 1955, he became the first American pontiff in the Church’s 2,000-year history. His election was confirmed on May 8, 2025, after a swift conclave.Prevost was welcomed by thousands of faithful in St Peter’s Square. In his first address, he paid tribute to Pope Francis, saying, “We still hear in our ears the weak, but always courageous voice of Pope Francis who blessed us.” He called for unity, adding, “United and hand in hand with God, let us advance together.”
The Vatican also stated that Leo XIV has requested all Vatican office heads, who technically lost their positions following the death of Pope Francis, to resume their duties until further notice. He expressed his intention to take time for reflection, prayer, and dialogue before making any final decisions on confirming them permanently.
Cardinal Robert Prevost, a 69-year-old Augustinian missionary and former archbishop in Peru, was elected the 267th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. Born in Chicago in 1955, he became the first American pontiff in the Church’s 2,000-year history. His election was confirmed on May 8, 2025, after a swift conclave.Prevost was welcomed by thousands of faithful in St Peter’s Square. In his first address, he paid tribute to Pope Francis, saying, “We still hear in our ears the weak, but always courageous voice of Pope Francis who blessed us.” He called for unity, adding, “United and hand in hand with God, let us advance together.”
Prevost has a strong background in pastoral care and ecclesiastical governance. He was ordained as a priest in 1982 and later served as bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, from 2015 to 2023.
— With agency inputs
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First Published: May 9, 2025 6:41 PM IS
