Pope Leo XIV delivered his inaugural Mass on Sunday before 150,000 faithful and leaders from around the world in St. Peter’s Square.
What did Leo say?
Leo, history’s first American pope, presented a message of unity and communion during his homily, vowing to help the Catholic Church become a force for peace in the world.
“I would like that our first great desire be for a united church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world,” he said. “In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest.”
During the Mass, Leo appeared to choke up when the two potent symbols of the papacy were placed on him — the pallium woolen stole over his shoulders and the fisherman’s ring on his finger. He turned his hand to look at the ring and seal and then clasped his hands in front of him in prayer.
Who attended – and who didn’t?
Vice President JD Vance led the American delegation to the Vatican, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio also in attendance.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy