Catholic cardinals gathered at the Vatican this week to elect the successor to Pope Francis, who died on April 21.

Hints as to what postures Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, might take on some of the most controversial issues roiling the U.S. may come from his recent activity on social media​.

Pope Leo XIV has celebrated his first Mass as the leader of the Catholic Church while congratulatory messages poured in for making history as the first American-born pontiff. In the Sistine Chapel, where less than 24 hours earlier the gathered cardinals had elected him,