Pope Leo XIV held his first “Regina Caeli” prayer at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican on Sunday.

The newly elected holy father delivered the message just hours after visiting the tomb of his predecessor, Pope Francis.

“I wanted so much to come here in these first days of the new Ministry that the Church has given me, to carry forward this mission as Successor of Peter,” the pope said.

He also delivered a message to young Catholics regarding vocations, saying, “Do not be afraid! Welcome the Church’s invitation and that of Christ the Lord!”

In his first official remarks as pope on Saturday, Leo delivered a powerful message to the College of Cardinals, warning that artificial intelligence (AI) presents serious new risks to human dignity. He called on the Catholic Church to step up and respond to these challenges with moral clarity and bold action.

Pope Leo XIV meets the College of Cardinals in the New Synod Hall at the Vatican, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP)

A former missionary and head of the Dicastery for Bishops, Pope Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost, speaks English, Spanish and Italian and was widely seen as a unifying choice after the death of Pope Francis. His decision to take the name “Leo” connects his mission with Pope Leo XIII’s focus on social justice.

Reuters contributed to this report.