Pope Leo XIV Inaugurated Amidst Global Attention
St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City is set to welcome around 250,000 pilgrims and numerous dignitaries for the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S. pontiff in the history of the Roman Catholic Church. The historic mass is scheduled for Sunday at 10 AM local time, following the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost, 69, who succeeded the late Pope Francis after a speedy conclave.
World leaders in attendance include U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and British royal Prince Edward. Additional notable figures include Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
As part of the traditional inauguration ceremony, Pope Leo XIV will arrive in a popemobile to greet attendees before proceeding into St. Peter’s Basilica. There, he will receive two significant gifts: a gold fisherman’s ring symbolizing his papacy and a lamb’s wool pallium representing his role as a spiritual shepherd.
Pope Leo XIV, previously critical of the Trump administration and outspoken on issues like immigration, has sparked mixed reactions among conservative supporters. Activist Laura Loomer referred to him negatively in light of his past social media comments. Despite this, the new pope is embracing modern communication, keen to use his official accounts on X and Instagram to reach a broad audience of 52 million followers.
In his inaugural post, Leo stated, “The Holy See is willing to help enemies meet…so people may be given back the dignity they deserve: the dignity of peace.” This sentiment reflects his commitment to dialogue and negotiation among world leaders. The inauguration marks a new chapter for the Church, as it navigates the complexities of modern geopolitics under Leo’s leadership.
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