Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV made his first public appearance in the popemobile on Sunday, riding through a jubilant crowd of tens of thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square to celebrate his ascent as the new leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
It was the largest gathering at the Vatican since the funeral of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 after a transformative 12-year papacy.
The atmosphere was celebratory, emotional, and steeped in history, as world leaders, dignitaries, and pilgrims from across the globe came together for Leo’s inaugural Mass.
Born in Chicago, Pope Leo XIV is the first American to be elected pope and also holds Peruvian citizenship, making him the first pontiff linked to the South American nation.
Crowds lining the Vatican shouted greetings and waved American and Peruvian flags. Chants of “Viva il Papa” and “Papa Leone” echoed through the square. One attendee even shouted “White Sox, White Sox!” in a nod to Leo’s lifelong allegiance to Chicago’s underdog baseball team.
Leo’s open-topped popemobile was flanked by a heavy security presence as it moved through the square and down Via della Conciliazione toward the Tiber River.
The momentous occasion drew dozens of world leaders. Among those present were US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, both Catholics, along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The presidents of Peru, Israel, and Nigeria were also in attendance, as were the prime ministers of Italy, Canada, and Australia. European royalty, including Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia, took seats near the main altar, underscoring the gravity of the event.
Sunday’s Mass featured prayers in multiple languages, Latin, Italian, Greek, Portuguese, French, Arabic, Polish, and Chinese symbolizing the global reach of the Church under his leadership.
During the ceremony, Pope Leo received the traditional symbols of his office: the pallium, a woolen band symbolizing his role as a shepherd, and the gold Fisherman’s Ring, bearing the image of St. Peter holding the keys to Heaven. As tradition dictates, the ring will be destroyed upon his death, marking the close of his papacy.
