The beginning mass of the pontificate of Leo XIV will be on May 18th

Vatican City.- The Mass for the beginning of the pontificate of Leo XIV will be on Sunday, May 18 and three days later, on the 21st, the new pope will have his first audience with the faithful, the prefecture of the Papal Household reported this Friday.

Said mass, in which he receives the Fisherman’s Ring and the pallium, symbols of papal power, will take place at 10:00 local time (8:00 GMT) in Saint Peter’s Square of the Vatican and delegations and heads of state from all over the world are expected to arrive.

On May 21, Leo XIV will preside over his first general audience with the faithful, while on May 24 he will receive in audience members of the Roman Curia and employees of the Vatican City State.

In his agenda, detailed today, one day after his election, the first commitment will be this Saturday with a meeting with the cardinals and on Sunday he will look out at the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica to preside over the Regina Coeli, which replaces the Angelus during the Easter season.

On May 12, Leo XIV will receive in audience the journalists who have followed the conclave and on the 16th the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See.

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Likewise, he shall take possession of the four papal basilicas of Rome, in addition to that of St. Peter’s in the Vatican: on May 20th he will go to St. Paul Outside the Walls and on Sunday 25th to St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major.

In this one rests his predecessor, the Argentine Francisco, who died on April 21st.

On the other hand, Leo XIV celebrated a mass today in the Sistine Chapel after his election and then announced that he temporarily confirms the positions of the Roman Curia and other authorities while he takes time to “reflect, pray and debate” potential changes.