Born in the U.S., forged in Peru, chosen in Rome, Leo XIV will helm a church facing debt, division and decline

Pope Leo XIV, the first American to head the global Catholic Church, pledged on Wednesday to make "every effort" for peace and offered the Vatican as a mediator in global conflicts, saying war was "never inevitable".

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy may attend the inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV, which will take place on May 18, the Head of the Office of the President, Andriy Yermak, says in a comment to Reuters.

Political figures around the world have congratulated Robert Francis Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, after his election on Thursday, May 8, as Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. Hailing from Chicago and a dual U.

Leo, who was elected the 267th leader of the Catholic Church last week, called for "the precious gift of free speech" to be protected and an end to a divisive "war of words" filled with prejudice and ideological attacks.