Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday received a pair of lambs to be blessed for the feast day of the Roman virgin and martyr St. Agnes — the first time a pope has welcomed lambs at the Vatican, part of a centuries-old tradition, since 2017.

Pope Leo XIV blesses two lambs in the Urban VIII Chapel at the Vatican Jan. 21, 2026, the feast of St. Agnes. The lambs are bound and placed in baskets to prevent them from running away. The wool from the lambs is used for the pallium worn by archbishops. (CNS photos/Vatican Media)

The Holy Father highlighted the missionary zeal of the families that make up this ecclesial movement of Catholic initiation, founded in Madrid, Spain.

Pope Leo XIV and leaders of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), a community dedicated to the traditional Roman rite, held a “cordial half-hour meeting” on Monday, Jan. 19, at the apostolic palace.

Pope Leo XIV has criticized the administration’s treatment of migrants, its antipathy toward Europe and the use of what he characterized as 'diplomacy based on force.'

This year’s principal observance is set to take place in Chiclayo, Peru, where Leo previously served as bishop.

Pope Leo XIV will celebrate the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper at the Basilica of St. John Lateran on April 2, restoring a long-standing Roman tradition that Pope Francis set aside throughout his 12-year pontificate.

Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. talks about discovering Pope Leo's genetic ties to Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Justin Bieber and more before challenging Jimmy to a game where he has to guess which two celebrities are related.