On a bright Sunday morning in Rome, a quiet American-born missionary who spent much of his life in Peru stepped into the open air of St Peter's Square to take up the keys of a Church of 1.4 billion souls. He is Robert Prevost, now Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the United States, arriving in the long shadow of Pope Francis, whose death in April closed a turbulent twelve years. The world's powerful gathered to witness the moment, yet the new Pope has spoken more of gratitude for his predecessor than of the path ahead, leaving the question of where the Church will go still open.
Pope Leo XIV Arrives in Rome for Inauguration Mass, Greeted by Tens of Thousands at St Peter's
A relative unknown, elected in barely 24 hours, now takes the keys
Mark
Why is this inauguration drawing so much attention beyond Catholics?
Mimi
Because of who is in the seats. Vance and Rubio lead the US delegation, Zelenskiy is coming, and so are leaders from Peru, Israel, Nigeria, Italy, Canada, Australia and Germany, plus von der Leyen.
Mark
And Leo himself is an unusual figure.
Mimi
He's the first Pope from the United States, born in Chicago, and also the first from Peru, where he was a missionary and holds citizenship. He became a cardinal only two years ago.
Luke
Worth saying what's still open. The reporting says Leo has praised Francis repeatedly, but it also says he hasn't given many hints about continuing Francis's opening of the church. So any prediction about direction is guesswork.
Mark
The homily could change that?
Mimi
It's likely to indicate some priorities. He has already made clear he'll push for peace whenever possible, and his first words after election were "Peace be with you all."
Luke
"Likely to indicate" is not the same as "will announce." We don't know what he'll say.
Mark
What about the diplomatic angle with Zelenskiy and Vance?
Mimi
Zelenskiy's aide said he'd be happy to meet other leaders. At Francis's funeral he talked with Trump inside the Basilica. He last met Vance in February, when they clashed at the White House.
Luke
But no meeting is confirmed here. It's an openness stated by an aide, nothing more.
Mark
And the ring?
Mimi
It's a gold signet ring with St Peter holding the keys, and it's broken after a Pope dies to end his papacy.
Il Polso
- A crowd of tens of thousands presses into St Peter's Square as the white Popemobile moves slowly through it, a first ride for a pontiff not yet known to much of the world.
- Heads of state and royalty fill the front rows, and the presence of JD Vance, Marco Rubio and Volodymyr Zelenskiy turns a religious ceremony into a stage for diplomacy.
- Leo is expected to reveal his priorities in Sunday's homily, a first full statement that will show whether he carries Francis's openness to the modern world forward or charts a new course.
- Tension lingers beneath the celebration, since Vance and Francis once clashed over immigration and Vance and Zelenskiy quarreled in public, and any sideline talks could shift the mood quickly.
On a bright Sunday morning in Rome, a quiet American-born missionary who spent much of his life in Peru stepped into the open air of St Peter's Square to take up the keys of a Church of 1.4 billion souls. He is Robert Prevost, now Leo XIV, the first pontiff from the United States, arriving in the long shadow of Pope Francis, whose death in April closed a turbulent twelve years. The world's powerful gathered to witness the moment, yet the new Pope has spoken more of gratitude for his predecessor than of the path ahead, leaving the question of where the Church will go still open.
Pope Leo XIV rolled into St Peter's Square on Sunday morning in the white Popemobile, blessing babies and greeting the faithful as tens of thousands filled the square and the streets around it. Among the crowd he held up one of the infants, a small gesture that caught the eye of the cameras and set the tone for a day meant to formally install him as leader of the global Catholic Church.
Robert Prevost was born in Chicago and spent many years as a missionary in Peru, where he also holds citizenship. At 69 he is the first Pope from the United States and the first from Peru. Only two years ago he became a cardinal, and the conclave that chose him in May was short, lasting barely a day. He succeeds Pope Francis, who died in April after twelve often turbulent years that saw him clash with traditionalists and champion the poor.
Leo has praised Francis often, yet he has given few clear hints about whether he will continue Francis's effort to open the Church to the modern world. His first words to the crowd on the night of his election were "Peace be with you all," and he has already signalled that he will push for peace wherever he can. Sunday's homily is expected to show more of his direction.
The guest list reads like a summit. JD Vance, a Catholic convert who once clashed with Francis over immigration, leads the American delegation with Marco Rubio. Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends too, and his aides say he is ready to meet other leaders. Friedrich Merz, Ursula von der Leyen and the presidents of Peru, Israel and Nigeria are also expected, along with several European royals, including Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia.
During the Mass Leo will receive the pallium, a lambswool band that symbolises his role as shepherd, and the fisherman's ring, the gold signet used to seal papal documents. For now, all eyes turn to the homily and to whatever conversations the visiting leaders manage on the sidelines.
Pope Leo XIV rolled into St Peter's Square on Sunday morning in the white Popemobile, greeting the faithful and blessing babies as he passed through tens of thousands of people gathered for his inauguration. Photographs from the square show him holding one of those infants as he arrived.
The Mass, set to begin at 10am local time (6pm AEST), formally installs him as leader of the global Catholic Church. It also marks his first ride in the Popemobile as pontiff. Catholics were expected to fill the square and the streets around it.
Leo is Robert Prevost, born in Chicago, which makes him the first Pope from the United States. He is 69 and spent many years as a missionary in Peru, where he also holds citizenship, so he is the first Pope from that country as well. Until recently he was a relative unknown on the world stage: he became a cardinal only two years ago. The conclave that elected him on May 8 was short, lasting barely 24 hours.
He succeeds Pope Francis of Argentina, who died on April 21 after 12 often turbulent years leading the church. Francis clashed with traditionalists and championed the poor and marginalised. In sermons and remarks since his election, Leo has praised his predecessor repeatedly, but he has offered few hints on whether he will continue Francis's vision of opening the church to the modern world. His homily on Sunday is likely to signal some of his priorities. Over the past 10 days he has already made clear that he will push for peace whenever possible. His first words to the crowd in the square on the night of his election were "Peace be with you all," echoing words Catholics use in their celebrations.
The guest list is heavy with world leaders and European royalty. US Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert who clashed with Francis over the Trump administration's hard-line immigration policies, will lead the American delegation alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also Catholic. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will attend as well, and a top aide said he would be happy to meet other leaders. At Francis's funeral he held face-to-face talks with US President Donald Trump inside St Peter's Basilica. He last met Vance in February at the White House, where the two clashed fiercely in front of the world's media.
Also expected are the presidents of Peru, Israel and Nigeria, the prime ministers of Italy, Canada and Australia, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Many European royals will sit in VIP seats near the main altar, among them Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia.
The Mass will include prayers in Latin, Italian, Greek, Portuguese, French, Arabic, Polish and Chinese, a nod to the reach of a church of 1.4 billion members. During the ceremony Leo will receive two items of office. One is the pallium, a strip of lambswool worn as a vestment that represents his role as a shepherd. The other is the fisherman's ring, a gold signet ring cast specially for each new Pope and usable for sealing documents. It bears a design of St Peter holding the keys to heaven, and it is broken after the Pope's death to mark the end of his papacy.
What to watch now is the homily, the first extended public statement of his priorities, and whatever conversations the visiting leaders manage on the sidelines.
Citazioni salienti
Peace be with you all— Pope Leo XIV, first words to the crowd in St Peter's Square on the night of his election
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