Pope Leo has reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s traditional stance on marriage, defining it as a “stable union between a man and a woman.”

In his first major address as the newly elected pontiff, delivered during a private audience with Vatican diplomats on Friday, Pope Leo emphasized the importance of protecting the inherent dignity of all people, especially the most vulnerable, including the unborn, the elderly, and immigrants.

The Pope stated that government leaders have a responsibility to foster harmonious and peaceful societies, primarily by investing in families defined as the “stable union between a man and a woman.”

While Pope Leo also stated the Church’s opposition to same-sex marriage, his predecessor was previously criticized by conservatives for being more open to the LGBTQ community, including approving blessings for same-sex couples, which they felt caused confusion.

Pope Leo, the first American to lead the Catholic Church and a member of the Augustinian order, reiterated the Church’s opposition to abortion, advocated for religious freedom, and expressed his commitment to continuing inter-religious dialogue.

Pope Leo asserted that everyone should strive to respect the dignity of all people, especially the most vulnerable, “from the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike.”

The gathering with the Vatican’s diplomatic corps is a customary event following the election of a new pope, allowing him to greet representatives of ahead of his formal installation Mass on Sunday. The Vatican has announced that Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and numerous other global leaders will be in attendance.

In emphasizing the importance of dignity for immigrants, Pope Leo highlighted his own family’s immigration to the United States. These comments could potentially create tension with President Donald Trump, who is pursuing the deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants from the U.S. Trump and Pope Francis previously had public disagreements on immigration matters.

“My own story is that of a citizen, the descendant of immigrants, who in turn chose to emigrate,” Pope Leo told ambassadors at the Vatican.

“All of us, in the course of our lives, can find ourselves healthy or sick, employed or unemployed, living in our native land or in a foreign country, yet our dignity always remains unchanged. It is the dignity of a creature willed and loved by God,” he added.

Pope Leo’s father had French and Italian ancestry, while his mother was of Spanish descent.

Pope Leo urged those present to remember three key words – “peace,” “justice,” and “truth” – stating that they represent the foundation of the Church’s missionary work and the goal of the Holy See’s diplomacy.

He explained that truth “does not create division, but rather enables us to confront all the more resolutely the challenges of our time, such as migration, the ethical use of artificial intelligence and the protection of our beloved “

“These are challenges that require commitment and cooperation on the part of all, since no one can think of facing them alone.

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