Pope Leo XIV has taken over the Vatican’s official social media handles, with a first Instagram post on Tuesday repeating the first words he said to the world as pope: “Peace be with you all!” The @Pontifex – Pope Leo XIV post featured some of the photos that have documented the first days of history’s first American pope.

A Newsmax reporter had asked the question of Pope Leo at the pontiff's audience with journalists in the Vatican on Monday. Leo is the first-ever pope born in the U.S. His comments on social media around immigration in particular have caught attention, and raise the possibility future clashes with the Trump Administration.

The elevation of Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost to pope earlier this month has been a point of pride for Chicagoland parishes, including in the north suburbs of Morton Grove, Park Ridge,