By Ayomide Otitoju
Tens of thousands of pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square on Sunday as Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, made his first public tour in the popemobile ahead of his official inauguration mass.
Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost, 69, who was elected the 267th pope on May 8, waved to cheering crowds from a white vehicle, offering blessings and making the sign of the cross. The inauguration ceremony, scheduled for 10:00 a.m. local time (0800 GMT), will include the presentation of papal insignia and a homily that will signal the direction of his pontificate.
US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, both practicing Catholics, lead a delegation of international dignitaries expected to attend. Also on the Vatican’s guest list are Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Peruvian President Dina Boluarte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and representatives of European royalty.
The Vatican has heightened security for the high-profile event, with rooftop snipers and anti-drone systems deployed across Rome.
Pope Leo XIV, a former missionary in Peru and seasoned Vatican official, has in recent days stressed the need for peace, social justice, and traditional Catholic values. In his recent addresses to clergy and media, he emphasized the sanctity of life and the importance of family, describing it as a union between a man and a woman.
Inacia Lisboa, a 71-year-old pilgrim originally from Cape Verde, expressed admiration for the new pope. “He’s already entered my heart,” she told AFP. “All I ask is that he prays for peace.”
Leo’s appointment has been met with enthusiasm in the United States, though his prior social media posts—now deleted—revealed past criticism of former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies and of Vice President Vance himself.
During the inauguration mass, the pope will visit the tomb of Saint Peter, receive the pallium and the fisherman’s ring—traditional symbols of papal authority—and lead a procession into the square. While no longer crowned during the ceremony, as was the custom until 1963, the installation remains a deeply symbolic and spiritual event.
The new pontiff inherits a Catholic Church grappling with modern challenges, including the ongoing fallout from clerical abuse scandals and debates over doctrinal reforms.
