Pope Leo XIV laid out his stance on gay marriage and abortion in his inaugural address to the Vatican diplomatic corps.
In the Friday address, he affirmed the church’s definition of family as being founded on the “stable union between a man and a woman”.
He also said both unborn children and the elderly had inherent dignity as creations of God.
The pronouncements offer a clear articulation of core Catholic teachings on marriage and abortion.
The new Pope also addressed the importance of international relations and hailed interfaith dialogue as a crucial tool in the pursuit of world peace.
This meeting with the diplomatic corps is a standard protocol following a papal conclave.
It allows a newly elected pontiff to formally greet representatives from nearly 200 countries with which the Holy See maintains diplomatic ties.
The Holy See’s status as a sovereign state, recognised under international law, also grants it observer status at the United Nations.
The meeting preceded Pope Leo’s official installation Mass which is scheduled for Sunday, May 18.
Leo, a member of the Augustinian religious order, has emphasised peace as a priority of his pontificate, from the first words he uttered on the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, “Peace be with you all”.