POPE LEO XIV
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Update:
Below is a link to a Vatican translation of the full text of his greeting. The article below that was written with a working translation so that the heart of his message could be quickly shared with those who don't speak Italian or Spanish.
Original article:
"Peace be with all of you," a composed and smiling Pope Leo XIV -- Robert Prevost -- proclaimed to his flock, his first words as the 267th Pope. An offering of peace, he said, "were the first words of the Risen Christ."
The Chicago native who has become the first pope of the United States spoke of how God loves us all without limits or conditions.
We still have the sound of the weak voice of Pope Francis in our ears, he said, recalling how his predecessor came to bless the world on the feast of the Risen Christ, on Easter morning, just a couple weeks ago.
God loves everyone, and evil will not prevail, the 69-year-old new Pontiff assured. "We are all in the hands of God."
The Augustinian missionary spoke of being united hand in hand with God and among ourselves, going into the world as disciples of Christ to a world who "needs his light."
Humanity needs us to be a bridge with God, with dialogue and encounter, so that "we can all be in peace."
He thanked Pope Francis and his brother cardinals, before going off his apparently quickly prepared speech to say that he is a "son of St. Augustine and an Augustinian priest."
May we walk together to that place that God has prepared for all of us, he exhorted.
The new pope served for years in Peru, and in fact, he asked, "if you will permit me," and then began a greeting in Spanish, mentioning especially his "faithful people who have accompanied their bishop and shared their faith," in the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru.
Returning to Italian he urged charity for the suffering and assured, "Our Blessed Mother always wants me to be close to us. She wants to intercede for us through her love."
And inviting the flock to "pray together for this new mission," he led a Hail Mary.
A complete translation and transcript will be provided soon.
