Pope Leo XIV called for a genuine and just peace in Ukraine and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, in his first Sunday noon blessing as pontiff that featured some symbolic gestures suggesting a message of unity in a polarized Catholic Church.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy plans to attend the inaugural Mass of newly elected Pope Leo at the Vatican on Sunday, war commitments permitting, a top presidential aide told Reuters on Tuesday.

Pope Leo XIV may visit Ukraine on his first foreign trip - Türkiye and Peru are also under consideration, La Repubblica reports. Visit to Ukraine According to the media outlet, one of the potential countries for the Pope's first visit could be Ukraine,

Leo, who was born in Chicago, signed a baseball that someone held out to him. A woman in the line asked him for a selfie — a situation few of his predecessors would have faced in their first media outing. He politely declined, shook her hand and moved on.

Leo gave a prepared address and then opened the floor to any cardinal who wanted to make a comment, a different format to what previous popes have done.

After Pope Leo XIV was chosen as the leader of the Catholic Church last Thursday (8), there was great curiosity about who the last Pope Leo was. O post Video: First recording of a pope shows Leo XIII in 1896 apareceu primeiro em TechBreak.

Some conservatives and traditionalist Catholics are cautiously optimistic over the historic election of Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo XIV has called for the release of imprisoned journalists and affirmed the “precious gift of free speech and the press.”