ROME — As the universal Church celebrates the gift of the new Pope, there is one university in Rome where the joy is felt a little more deeply: Pope Leo XIV’s alma mater. The Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas — also known as the Angelicum — is not only the alma mater of Pope St. John Paul II, but now also of Pope Leo XIV.

Chicago Cardinal says when Pope Leo XIV is ready to travel to the United States, he will push for a Chicago stop.

Pope Leo XIV held his inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, May 18, 2025, drawing world leaders to Rome for the second time in less than a month.Elected after the Easter Monday death of Pope Francis,

Lisa and Rich Solava and Denise Utter were friends with Robert Prevost long before he became pope — and have the selfies to prove it. They are in Vatican City for Leo's inauguration.

Pope Leo's inauguration mass held on Sunday, May 19. After returning to Nigeria, Peter Obi shared why he did not personally meet the new Catholic Church head.

The service marks the official start of Leo's papacy just under a month after the death of his predecessor, Pope Francis. The ceremony began with a procession from St. Peter's Basilica — where Leo and other church leaders visited St. Peter's tomb to pray — to St. Peter's Square, where the Inauguration Mass was held.

Italians — and Romans in particular — have had mixed responses to the so-called “American pope.” Most are cautiously optimistic, taking a wait-and-see approach to the 69-year-old pontiff who grew up in the south suburbs.

PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina have travelled to Rome to attend the Inauguration of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. The Mass of Inauguration is set to kick off at 10am in St