Pope Leo XIV paid a special tribute to "tutte le mamme" - all the mothers - during a Sunday prayer in Rome in recognition of Mother’s Day.
"And today, a special thought goes out to all mothers," Leo said in Italian during the Regina Caeli prayer, which coincided with Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May.
"Let us pray with affection and gratitude for every mother, especially those living in the most difficult circumstances."
The 70-year-old pontiff and spiritual leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide was elected to office on May 8 last year. His own mother died of cancer in 1990, according to US media.
