Pope Leo XIV formally began his reign yesterday by reaching out to conservatives who felt orphaned under his predecessor, calling for unity, vowing to preserve the Catholic Church’s heritage and not rule like ‘an autocrat’.
After a first ride in the popemobile through an estimated crowd of up to 200,000 in St Peter’s Square and surrounding streets, Leo was officially installed as the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church at an outdoor Mass.
Well-wishers waved US and Peruvian flags, with people from both countries claiming him as the first pope from their nations. Born in Chicago, the 69-year-old pontiff spent many years as a missionary in Peru and also has Peruvian citizenship.
In his sermon, read in fluent Italian, Leo said that as leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Roman Catholics, he would continue Francis’ legacy on social issues such as combating poverty and protecting the environment.
He vowed to face up to ‘the questions, concerns and challenges of today’s world’ and, in a nod to conservatives, he promised to preserve ‘the rich heritage of the Christian faith’, repeatedly calling for unity.
Crowds chanted ‘Viva il Papa’ (Long Live the Pope) and ‘Papa Leone’, his name in Italian, as he waved from the open-topped popemobile ahead of his inaugural Mass, which was attended by dozens of world leaders.
US Vice President JD Vance who led a US delegation alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio shook hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the start of the ceremony.
Zelenskiy and Leo were to have a private meeting later.
In a brief appeal at the end of the Mass, Leo addressed several global conflicts. He said Ukraine was being ‘martyred’, a phrase often used by Francis, and called for a ‘just and lasting peace’ there.
He also mentioned the humanitarian situation in Gaza, saying people in the Palestinian enclave were being ‘reduced to starvation’.
Among those in the crowds yesterday were many pilgrims from the US and Peru.
Dominic Venditti, from Seattle, said he was ‘extremely excited’ by the new Pope. “I like how emotional and kind he is,” he said. “I love his background.”
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