Pope Leo XIV said Friday that his election was both a cross to bear and a blessing as he celebrated his first Mass and details began to emerge of how votes swiftly coalesced to make ...

Leo XIV celebrated his first Mass as pontiff at the Vatican's Sistine Chapel on May 9, the day after stunning the world as the first pope from the United States in the Church's history.

Catholic cardinals gathered at the Vatican this week to elect the successor to Pope Francis, who died on April 21.