Pope Leo XIV has baptized 20 babies in the Sistine Chapel, continuing an annual tradition marking the end of the Christmas holiday at the Vatican.

Pope Leo warned against a spreading "zeal for war" following U.S. attacks on Venezuela and Trump's ensuing threats.

Pope Leo XIV, the Catholic Church's first ever American leader, appears to signal a more inclusive leadership style than his predecessor.

Pope Leo decried the use of military force as a means of achieving diplomatic goals on Friday, delivering an unusually fiery annual foreign policy speech in which he also called for human rights to be protected in Venezuela.

VATICAN CITY -- VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV is planning to travel to Spain this year, with stops in Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands to fulfil Pope Francis’ wish of visiting a key migration entry point to Europe, a Spanish cardinal said Friday.

Close to 3 million pilgrims and visitors attended audiences, liturgies or meetings at the Vatican with Pope Leo XIV from the time of his election in May through December, according to the Prefecture of the Papal Household.

A day after closing out the 2025 Holy Year, Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday opened a new phase of his pontificate by gathering the world’s cardinals to Rome and indicating some reform-minded priorities going forward.

On Tuesday, Leo symbolically closed the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica, ending a Jubilee that began with Pope Francis in December 2024.

In his opening remarks, Leo asked them to share what they considered to be the priorities that should guide him and the Holy See for the next year or two.

In his most explicitly pro-life speech to date, Pope Leo demands an end to abortion and surrogacy globally. Editor's Note: Pope Leo XIV offered his 'State of the World' speech on Jan. 9, 2026. Please read the full transcript below.