Pope Leo XIV meets members of the international media in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, Monday, May 12, 2025.

As Pope Leo XIV walked through a crowd at the Vatican on Monday, NewsNation correspondent Robert Sherman asked the new pontiff if he had “any message for the United States.”

“Many,” Leo replied with a smile.

Then, after a short pause, he added: “God bless you all.”

The short exchange — which went viral on social media ― came as the first US-born pope delivered a powerful address to thousands of journalists.

Watch here:

Pope Leo XIV met with journalists from around the globe in Rome on Monday. When NewsNation asked if he had a message for the United States, he said, "God bless you all."
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