STORY: Pope Leo XIV held on Saturday (May 24) his first audience with Vatican City employees and their families.

The new pontiff thanked the personnel for their service, recalling his two years at the Vatican as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.

After delivering his address to the staff, the pope spent around half an hour walking around the entire hall and greeting people, including children, Swiss Guards and Catholic nuns.

On Friday (May 23), Leo granted all employees a sum of 500 euros, restoring the tradition of the bonus for the election of a new pontiff, which Pope Francis had dismissed.

About 5,000 people work in the Vatican, including employees in the Curia - the government of the Catholic Church - and other Holy See workers.

On Sunday (May 25), the pope is expected to visit Rome's city hall, where he will greet the mayor. He will then take possession of the Basilica of St. John Lateran and the Basilica of St. Mary Major.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: VATICAN CITY (MAY 24, 2025) (VATICAN MEDIA - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF POPE LEO ARRIVING FOR AUDIENCE

2. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE APPLAUDING

3. CHILD HOLDING CARD READING (Italian) "Long live Pope Leo"

4. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO SAYING:

“When the applause lasts longer than the speech, I will have to make a longer speech, then watch out.”

5. PEOPLE APPLAUDING

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO SAYING:

“This is certainly not the time to make programmatic speeches, but rather an opportunity for me to say thank you for the service you do.”

7. PEOPLE APPLAUDING

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO SAYING:

“I was a missionary in Peru, and among the Peruvian people, my pastoral vocation matured. I cannot thank the Lord enough for this gift. Then, the call to serve the Church here in the Roman Curia was a new mission, which I shared with you in the past two years.”

9. AUDIENCE IN PROGRESS

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO SAYING:

“Everyone can be a builder of unity with their attitudes towards colleagues, overcoming the inevitable misunderstandings with patience and humility, putting themselves in the shoes of others, avoiding prejudices, and also with a good dose of humour, as Pope Francis taught us.”

11. PEOPLE APPLAUDING

12. VARIOUS OF POPE GIVING BLESSING

13. PEOPLE APPLAUDING

14. BISHOPS WAITING TO GREET POPE

15. CARDINAL MARIO GRECH GREETING POPE

16. PEOPLE APPLAUDING

17. POPE GREETING CHILDREN IN CROWD

18. TOP VIEW OF AUDIENCE HALL DURING GREETINGS

19. POPE GREETING VATICAN STAFF

20. TOP VIEW OF AUDIENCE HALL DURING GREETINGS

21. POPE GREETING CATHOLIC NUNS

22. CROWDS

23. VARIOUS OF POPE WAVING TO CROWDS BEFORE LEAVING