Pope Leo XIV calls for end to wars in Ukraine, Gaza

In an instant, Cardinal Robert Prevost became the most powerful and influential American Catholic when he was selected to be pope and renamed Pope Leo XIV on May 8.

But with the United States' standing in the world on edge with President Donald Trump in office, experts say many will be watching the first American to lead the Catholic Church to see how he walks the tightrope between Western politics and his papal duties.

Vatican experts told ABC News that Leo must thread that needle effortlessly, with a focus on leading from a global perspective.

"I suspect he will be scrupulous and careful to avoid the thought that he is an American and not a Christian view," the Rev. Stephen Spahn, an assistant teaching professor of theology at Loyola University Maryland, told ABC News. "He is going to be a bridge builder and build relationships with world leaders broadly."

At the same time, experts predicted Leo will not hesitate to speak out on U.S. matters from his seat when needed.

Spahn said cardinals have always come to their decisions knowing that the man who becomes pontiff will have to work within the geopolitical environment in pushing forward the Catholic Church's mission.

"It's definitely going to trail him. How could it not?" he said of the pope's Americanism. "But the cardinals have said they chose him without any regard to his nationality."

-ABC News' Ivan Pereira

Pope Leo XIV was met by hundreds gathered in the square in front of the Shrine of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano, the Vatican said Saturday.

The pope entered the church and stopped to pray, first in front of the altar and then in front of the image of the Virgin Mary, where he recited Pope John Paul II’s prayer to the Mother of Good Counsel, according to the Vatican press room.

After reciting the Ave Maria and singing the Salve Regina, the pope turned to those in the church, greeting them and the people of Genazzano gathered outside: "I wanted so much to come here in these first days of the new Ministry that the Church has given me, to carry forward this mission as the Successor of Peter."

At the end of his visit, the Vatican said Pope Leo appeared at the door of the basilica and said a few words, expressing the joy of being able to come to pray to the Mother of Good Counsel, calling it "such a great gift" for the people of Genazzano, from which also comes a great responsibility: "Just as the Mother never abandons her children, you must also be faithful to the Mother."

The pope also greeted the young people and the young at heart: "We are all!"

Finally, before leaving the sanctuary, he blessed those present.

On his way back to the Vatican, the press office said Pope Leo went to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, where he stopped to pray before the tomb of Pope Francis and the icon of the Virgin, Salus Populi Romani.

-ABC News’ Phoebe Natanson

Pope Leo XIV made his first trip outside Rome since being elected as leader of the Catholic Church.

The pope was driven to the Augustinian Sanctuary of the Mother of Good Counsel on Saturday afternoon local time, the Vatican said.

"This afternoon, shortly after 4:00 p.m., Pope Leo XIV reached the Shrine of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano for a private visit. The shrine, run by the religious of the Order of Saint Augustine, houses an ancient image of the Virgin, dear to the Order and to the memory of Leo XIII," the Vatican said in a statement.

The pope travelled in a black Volkswagen van seated in the front seat next to the driver. There was a motorcade with Vatican security accompanying him.

-ABC News’ Phoebe Natanson

The Vatican is revealing more about Pope Leo XIV's meeting with the cardinals on Saturday morning.

The newly elected pope met with the cardinals for about two hours, Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See press office, told reporters.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the cardinals, gave a short greeting to the new pope at the start of the meeting.

After the greeting, the pope addressed them and invited the cardinals to also speak. The short speeches were similar to what took place at the general congregations, a continuation of what was discussed in those meetings, Bruni said.

Bruni was also asked by reporters where the pope is residing now. He had no further information except that "the pope has returned to where he was residing before being made pope."

Matteo added that by this evening we should have information about Pope Leo XIV's coat of arms.

A cardinal told some Vatican reporters after the meeting that Pope Leo XIV is thinking of having some regular consultation with his cardinals but it is not worked out yet.

-ABC News’ Phoebe Natanson