First words, address of Pope Leo XIV

Speaking with warmth, humility and a call to unity, he evoked the voice of the risen Christ and echoed the legacy of Pope Francis.

Below is an unofficial translation and transcription of his first public message as pontiff:

Dearest brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the risen Christ, the good shepherd who laid down his life for the flock of God.

I too would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families, to all people, wherever they may be, to all nations, to the whole earth.

Peace be with you!

This is the peace of the risen Christ—a disarmed peace and a disarming peace, humble and persevering. It comes from God, God who loves us all, unconditionally.

We still keep in our ears that weak, but always courageous voice of Pope Francis, who blessed Rome. The Pope who blessed Rome gave his blessing to the world, to the whole world, that morning of Easter Sunday.

Allow me to continue that same blessing.

God loves us. God loves you all. And evil will not prevail. We are all in the hands of God.

Therefore, without fear, united, hand in hand with God and among ourselves, let us go forward.

We are disciples of Christ. Christ precedes us. The world needs his light. Humanity needs him as the bridge to be reached by God and his love.

Help us too, then, each other, to build bridges—with dialogue, with encounter—uniting all of us to be one people, always in peace.

Thank you to Pope Francis.

I also want to thank all my brother cardinals who have chosen me to be the successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a united Church, always seeking peace, justice, always trying to work as men and women faithful to Jesus Christ, without fear, to proclaim the Gospel, to be missionaries.

I am a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian, who said: With you I am a Christian, and for you a bishop. In this sense, we can all walk together toward that homeland which God has prepared for us.

To the Church of Rome—a special greeting. We must seek together how to be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges, dialogue, always open to receive—like this square with open arms—everyone, all those who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.

And allow me also a word, a greeting to all those, in a particular way, to my beloved Diocese of Chiclayo:

To all those and in a particular way to my beloved diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, where a faithful people has accompanied their bishop, has shared their faith. So much, so much to continue being a faithful church of Jesus Christ.

To all of you, brothers and sisters of Rome, of Italy, of all the world, we want to be a synodal church, a church that walks together, a church that always seeks peace, always seeks charity, always seeks to be close especially to those who suffer.

On the Day of Supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii, Our Mother must always walk with us, be close, help us with her intercession and her love. Now I would like to pray with you, let us pray together.

From Italy, from all over the world, we want to be a synodal Church, a Church that walks together, a Church that always seeks peace, always seeks charity, always seeks to be close especially to those who suffer. Today is the day of supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii.

Our Mother Mary always wants to walk with us, to be close, to help us with her intercession and her love. So I would like to pray together with you.

Let us pray together for this new mission, for the whole Church, for peace in the world, and let us ask for this special grace from Mary, our Mother. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

The new pope went on to deliver his first “Urbi et Orbi” blessing, granting an indulgence to those who were watching or listening to a ceremony believed to date back thousands of years to elect and announce the successor of St. Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ he installed as leader of his church.

— with Reports from Ian Patrick Laqui