The inauguration mass of the newly elected head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, will take place on Sunday, May 18, in St. Peters Square, the Vatican announced. World leaders are expected to gather for the event, to be held 10 days after the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the first American head of the worlds 1.4 billion Catholics. The Vatican said the new pontiff would meet with journalists on Monday and diplomats accredited to the Holy See the following Friday. Pope Leos first general audience will be on Wednesday, May 21, and he will meet with members of the Roman Curia, top Vatican officials, on May 24. Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was announced as the first U.S. pontiff on Thursday after white smoke emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel following four rounds of voting in the papal conclave. The post Vatican sets May 18 for Inauguration of Pope Leo XIV appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.

As Catholics worldwide welcome Pope Leo XIV, a lesser-known detail about the new pontiff has emerged: his visit to Nigeria nearly a decade ago.

Then known as Bishop Robert Prevost, the American-born clergyman travelled to Abuja in 2016 as part of his work with the Order of St. Augustine.

The visit marked a historic milestone for the religious order.

“For the first time, General Chapter of the Order of St. Augustine on the African continent — Abuja, Nigeria,” read a translated caption from a 2016 photo posted on Pope Leo’s X (formerly Twitter) account.

READ ALSO: Robert Prevost: 10 things to know about new Pope Leo XIV

The image shows him alongside Catholic leaders, both foreign and Nigerian, dressed in traditional clerical attire.

At the time of his visit, Leo XIV was serving as Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru.

Before that, he led the Augustinian Province in Chicago and served two terms as Prior General of the global order, known for its emphasis on community life, spiritual reflection, and service.

His connection to Nigeria stands out, especially considering the country’s deep Catholic roots and the long gap since a papal visit.

The last pope to visit Nigeria was John Paul II in 1998.

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READ ALSO: Why Popes are buried in 3 coffins with bag of coins—and why Pope Francis ended it

President Bola Tinubu congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election, saying the pontiff’s “message of faith and hope resonates across the globe.”

He also expressed joy on behalf of Nigerian Catholics, who now find a deeper link to the Vatican through the pope’s past presence in Abuja.

Pope Leo succeeds Pope Francis, who visited several African nations but never Nigeria during his papacy.

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