White smoke from the Sistine Chapel on Thursday signaled that the cardinals have selected the next leader of the Catholic Church.

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV celebrates his first Mass on Friday after his historic election as the first North American pope, meeting with the cardinals who chose him to lead the Catholic Church and follow in Pope Francis’ social justice-minded footsteps.

Pope Leo XIV has only been in the job one day and already faces a packed schedule of religious services, diplomatic meetings and Holy Year events, many of which were organised for his predecessor Francis.