Pope Leo XIV calls for unity in inaugural Mass at the Vatican
Pope Leo XIV called for unity in the Catholic Church during his inaugural mass in St. Peter's Square before an estimated 150,000 pilgrims, presidents, patriarchs and princes.
Pope Leo officially opened his pontificate by taking his first popemobile tour through the piazza, a rite of passage that has become synonymous with the papacy's global reach and mediatic draw. The 69-year-old Augustinian missionary smiled and waved from the back of the truck.
Pope Leo XIV waves to the faithful in St. Peter's Square for the Inauguration Mass on May 18, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican.
Simone Risoluti / Getty Images
During the Mass, the pontiff appeared to choke up when the two potent symbols of the papacy were placed on him – the pallium woolen stole over his shoulders and the fisherman's ring on his finger. He turned his hand to look at the ring and seal and then clasped his hands in front of him in prayer.
In his homily, Pope Leo said he wanted to be a servant to the faithful through the two dimensions of the papacy, love and unity, so that the church could be a force for peace in the world.
"I would like that our first great desire be for a united church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world," he said. "In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth's resources and marginalizes the poorest."
Pope Leo XIV (formerly Robert Francis Prevost) presided over his inauguration mass in St Peter's Square after his election on May 8th.
Elisabetta Trevisan / Getty Images
His call for unity was significant, given the polarization in the Catholic Church in the United States and beyond. Vice President JD Vance, one of the last foreign officials to meet Pope Francis before he died, led the U.S. delegation honoring the Chicago-born Pope Leo. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and multiple members of Congress joined him.
"Let us build a church founded on God's love, a sign of unity, a missionary church that opens its arms to the world, proclaims the word, allows itself to be made restless by history, and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity," Leo said, referencing some of the themes of Francis' pontificate as well.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance arrives at St. Peter's Square for Pope Leo XIV's celebration of the Mass for the inauguration of his pontificate in the Vatican, on May 18, 2025.
Valeria Ferraro/Anadolu via Getty Images
At the end of the Mass, Pope Leo expressed hope for negotiations to bring a "just and lasting peace" in Ukraine and offered prayers for the people of Gaza — children, families and elderly who are "reduced to hunger," he said. Leo made no mention of hostages taken by Hamas from southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, as Francis usually did when praying for Gaza.
After the Mass, Pope Leo greeted the delegations one by one in the basilica and had proper audiences scheduled on Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Peruvian President Dina Boluarte.
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