Pope Leo XIV will formally become the head of the Catholic Church today in a grand papal inauguration at St. Peter’s Square, drawing tens of thousands of pilgrims and a gathering of world leaders and dignitaries to the Vatican. The ceremony will mark the official start of Leo’s papacy.
The pope will formally receive the pallium, a woolen stole symbolising his role as shepherd, and the fisherman’s ring, a gold signet engraved with an image of St. Peter. The ring, unique to each pontiff, will be used to seal important documents and will be ceremonially destroyed upon his death.
He will also ride the white popemobile for the first time.
The papal Mass is expected to have a long list of world leaders and royals in attendance.
Global leaders attending
The United States will be represented by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who last met Vance in a tense February encounter at the White House, is also attending, amid speculation of possible sideline diplomacy.
Other confirmed attendees include:
- Albania – President Bajram Bega
- Armenia – President Vahagn Khachaturyan
- Australia – Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
- Austria – Chancellor Christian Stocker
- Belgium – King Philippe, Queen Mathilde, and Prime Minister Bart De Wever
- Britain – Prince Edward
- Bulgaria – Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov
- Canada – Prime Minister Mark Carney
- Colombia – President Gustavo Petro
- Croatia – Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic
- Ecuador – President Daniel Noboa
- European Union – Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
- France – Prime Minister Francois Bayrou
- Gabon – President Brice Oligui Nguema
- Germany – Chancellor Friedrich Merz
- Georgia – President Mikheil Kavelashvili
- Hungary – President Tamas Sulyok
- Italy – President Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
- Ireland – President Michael D. Higgins
- Israel – President Isaac Herzog
- Latvia – Prime Minister Evika Silina
- Lebanon – President Joseph Aoun
- Lithuania – President Gitanas Nauseda
- Luxembourg – Prime Minister Luc Frieden
- Malta – Prime Minister Robert Abela
- Monaco – Prince Albert and Princess Charlene
- Morocco – Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch
- Netherlands – Queen Maxima, Prime Minister Dick Schoof
- Nigeria – President Bola Tinubu
- Paraguay – President Santiago Pena
- Peru – President Dina Boluarte
- Poland – President Andrzej Duda
- Portugal – President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
- Serbia – Prime Minister Djuro Macut
- Slovenia – Prime Minister Robert Golob
- Slovakia – President Peter Pellegrini
- Spain – King Felipe and Queen Letizia
- Switzerland – President Karin Keller-Sutter
- Togo – President Faure Gnassingbe
Though relatively new to the global stage, Leo XIV has made it clear in his first addresses that peace will be central to his papacy. He has pledged to make “every effort” toward peace, emphasising that war is “never inevitable.” He also expressed openness to the Vatican playing a mediating role in global disputes.
Leo XIV—born Robert Prevost in Chicago—is the first American pope and also holds Peruvian citizenship, having spent decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru.
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His election on May 8 came after a swift conclave. He succeeds Pope Francis of Argentina, who died on April 21 after a 12-year tenure.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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