Pope Leo XIV delivered his first address from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on Thursday, shortly after being elected as the new head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
Below is a translation of his speech, originally delivered in Italian, with one section in Spanish:
“Peace be with you all.
Dear brothers and sisters. This is the first greeting of the risen Christ, the Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for God.
I too wish this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families, to all people, wherever they may be, to every nation, to the whole earth.
Peace be with you.
Peace be with you all, brothers and sisters.
May this peace reach your homes, your loved ones, all peoples. It is the peace of the risen Christ—a peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and enduring.
It comes from God, who loves each of us without condition.
Still ringing in our ears is the gentle yet ever-courageous voice of Pope Francis blessing Rome.
That voice remains fresh in our ears, in our hearts—the pope blessing the city, the people, offering his benediction to the whole world, on Easter morning.
Allow me to offer that same blessing now.
God loves us. God loves each one of you. Evil will not prevail. We are all in God’s hands.
So let us go forward without fear, united, hand in hand with God and one another.
We are disciples of Christ. Christ leads us forward. The world needs His light.
Humanity needs Him to be the bridge that connects us to God and His boundless love.
You, too, can help one another to build those bridges—through dialogue, through encounters—to become a people always striving for peace.
Thank you, Pope Francis.
I also wish to thank my brother cardinals who have chosen me as the successor of Peter. I shall walk with you as a united Church, always striving for peace and justice, seeking to serve as faithful men and women of Christ, unafraid to proclaim the Gospel and be missionaries.
I am a son of Saint Augustine—an Augustinian. He said, ‘With you I am a Christian; for you I am a bishop.’
In this spirit, we journey together towards the home God has prepared for us.
To the Church of Rome, a special greeting.
Together, we must seek to be a missionary Church—one that builds bridges and fosters dialogue, always open to welcome all who seek our charity, our presence, our love.
And now, please allow me to say a few words in Spanish.
To all, and especially to my beloved Diocese of Chiclayo in Peru, where a faithful people have supported their bishop, shared their faith, and given so much to continue being the faithful Church of Christ.
To all of you—brothers and sisters in Rome, in Italy, and across the world—we wish to be a synodal Church, a pilgrim Church, always seeking peace, charity, and nearness to those who suffer.
Today, on the Day of Supplication to Our Lady of Pompei, we turn to our Mother Mary. She always walks with us, remains near to us, and helps us with her intercession and her love.
Let us now pray together—for this new mission, for the Church, and for peace in the world.
Let us ask Mary, our Mother, for this special grace.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”