May 18 inaugural Mass for Pope Leo XIV. Credit: CatholicVote (McKenna Snow)
VATICAN CITY // At the end of his inaugural Mass today, Pope Leo XIV gave a Regina Caeli address in which he spoke of Pope Francis and invoked Mary under her title “Star of the Sea,” urging the faithful to pray to her for those suffering amid wars.
At the beginning of the brief address, Pope Leo expressed gratitude for all those who attended the Mass, including the official delegations from various countries and representatives of other religious and ecclesial communities. He also welcomed the pilgrims attending the Jubilee of Congrateries, thanking them “for keeping the great heritage of popular piety alive!”
He continued, “During Mass, I strongly felt the spiritual presence of Pope Francis accompanying us from heaven. Reflecting on our participation in the communion of saints, I recall that yesterday in Chambéry, France, the priest Camille Costa de Beauregard, was beatified. He lived from the end of the 1800s to the beginning of the 1900s, and was a witness of great pastoral charity.”
Amid the joy brought by faith and communion, Pope Leo said, it is also crucial to remember those suffering from war. He said children, families, and the elderly in Gaza are facing starvation, young persons in Myanmar are being killed amid new conflicts, and Ukraine has not yet reached a peace agreement.
“Therefore,” Pope Leo said, “as we entrust to Mary the service of the Bishop of Rome, Pastor of the universal Church, let us, from the ‘Barque of Peter,’ look to her, Star of the Sea, Our Lady of Good Counsel, as a sign of hope. We implore her intercession for the gift of peace, for support and comfort for those who suffer, and for the grace for all of us to be witnesses to the Risen Lord.”
He then intoned the beginning of the Regina Caeli prayer by singing the first two words, and the congregation followed to sing the rest with him.