Pope Leo XIV marked his first full day Friday as leader of the 1.4-billion-member Roman Catholic Church by celebrating Mass in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel with cardinals.

The Catholic Church has a new leader and congratulations are pouring in as Pope Leo XIV prepares to celebrate his first Mass on Friday, a day after his historic election as the first North American pope in the church’s 2,

Pope Leo XIV appealed to the world's major powers for "no more war", in his first Sunday message to crowds in St. Peter's Square since his election as pontiff. The new pope, elected on May 8, called for an "authentic and lasting peace" in Ukraine and a ceasefire in Gaza and release of all Israeli hostages.