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.

“In these initial days of the new Ministry bestowed upon me by the Church, I was eager to come here and advance this mission as Peter’s successor,” remarked the pope.

Addressing young Catholics on the topic of vocations, he encouraged them by saying, “Do not be afraid! Embrace the invitation from the Church and from Christ the Lord!”

During his inaugural address as pope on Saturday, Leo conveyed a powerful message to the College of Cardinals. He cautioned that artificial intelligence (AI) could pose significant threats to human dignity, urging the Catholic Church to meet these challenges with decisive moral guidance and courageous 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.