Full Transcript of Pope Leo’s Moving Tribute to Predecessor Francis in First Speech as Holy Father

Thank you. Brothers and sisters, dear brothers and sisters. This is the first greeting of Christ resurrected, the good pastor who gave life for the Lord.

And I would also like this greeting of peace to come into your hearts and join your families and join everyone, everyone. Whoever they are, all peoples and the whole earth, peace be with you.

This is the peace of Christ resurrected. It’s a peace that’s disarmed and disarming, humble, and will also persevere.

And it comes from God, God who loves all of us, unconditionally. And let us hear even the weak voices.

And Pope Francis, in fact, was always courageous, and he blessed Rome. The Pope that blessed Rome gave his blessing to the world, to the whole world on that Easter morning. So let us follow up that blessing. God loves us. God loves all of you, and sin will not prevail.

We are all in the hands of God. And at the same time, without fear, let us be united, hands in hand, with God and amongst ourselves, let’s move forward.

Because we are the disciples of Christ. Christ preceded us. The world needs your light. Humanity necessitates, needs him, just as a bridge.

In order to be able to get to God and to reach God’s love. Help us, you must also help us and help one another to build bridges, build bridges through dialogue, through meetings, and we all must be a single people, always living in peace.

Thanks to Pope Francis. And I would also like to thank all my brother cardinals who have chosen me to be the successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a united church, always trying to find peace, justice, and always trying to work as men and women faithful to Jesus Christ without fear.

And to proclaim Evangel and also to be missionaries.

I am a son of St. Augustine. In fact, I belong to the movement of St Augustine, and St Augustine said, ‘I am Christian with you’.

To that extent, we can all walk together. We can all work together towards that land. God has prepared us for.

And to the Church of Rome, I’d like to give you a special greeting.

Together, we must try to find out how to be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges… establishes dialogues that are always open to receive on this piazza with open arms – to be able to receive everybody that needs our charity, our presence, dialogue and love.

I would just like, also, to say something in Spanish, just a few words.

And I particularly like… to say hello to my compatriots from Peru. It was a great pleasure for me to work in Peru.

So to all of you, brothers and sisters, of Rome, Italy, of the whole world, we need to be a church that is joined, a church that walks the path of peace, that’s always looking for charity, that is always looking to be close, especially to those that are suffering.

And today, it’s the day in which we pray to the Madonna of Pompeii. Our mother, Mary, always wants to walk along with us, to stay close to us and to help us, to help with her love and her intercession.

So I would like to pray with you. Let us pray together for this new mission, for the whole church. And for peace throughout the world.

And let’s ask for this special grace from Mary, our mother.

So hail Mary, full of grace, our Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

To all the faithful here present, and to all those who receive his blessing through the radio, through television, and other technologies of communication. You can recognise him in the way recognised by the church.

Let us hope that he’s preserved for a long time and ensure peace to the church throughout the world.