Pope Leo XIV asks the unit at the inaugural Mass in the Vatican

Pope Leo XIV asks the unit at the inaugural Mass in the Vatican

/ News/ AP

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Papa Leo XIV He called the unit in the Catholic Church during his inaugural mass in the Plaza de San Pedro before approximately 150,000 pilgrims, presidents, patriarchs and princes.

Papa Leo He officially opened his pontificate performing his first Popemobile tour through Piazza, a passage rite that has become synonymous with the global scope of the papacy and the media raffle. The 69 -year -old Augustinian missionary smiled and greeted from the rear of the truck.

Pope Leo XIV has an inauguration mass in the Plaza de San Pedro
Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful in the Plaza de San Pedro for the opening mass on May 18, 2025 in the city of the Vatican, Vatican. Simone Risoluti / Getty Images

During the Mass, the pontiff seemed to drown when the two powerful symbols of the papacy were placed: Palio’s wool stole him on his shoulders and the fisherman’s ring on his finger. He turned his hand to look at the ring and seal and then squeezed his hands in front of him in prayer.

In his homily, Pope Leo said he wanted to be a servant of 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 our first great desire to be for a united church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a yeast for a reconciled world,” he said. “At this time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, fear of difference and an economic paradigm that exploits the resources of the earth and marginalizes the poorest.”

Pope Leo XIV has an inauguration mass in the Plaza de San Pedro
Pope Leo XIV (formerly Robert Francis Prevost) presided over his opening mass in the Plaza de San Pedro after his choice on May 8. Elisabetta Trevisan / Getty Images

His call for unity was significant, given polarization in the Catholic Church in the United States and beyond. Vice President JD Vance, One of the last foreign officials to meet with Pope Francis before he diedhe directed the American delegation in honor of Pope Leo, born in Chicago. Secretary of State Marco Rubio And several members of Congress joined him.

“Let’s build a church founded on the love of God, a sign of unity, a missionary church that opens her arms to the world, proclaims the word, is restless about history and becomes a yeast of harmony for humanity,” said Leo, referring to some of the songs of Francis’s pontificate.

Pope Leo XIV inaugurated Mass in the Vatican
The United States Vice President JD Vance arrives at the Plaza de San Pedro for the celebration of the Mass of Pope Leo XIV Mass for the inauguration of his pontificate in the Vatican, on May 18, 2025. Valeria Ferraro/Anadolu through Getty Images

At the end of the Mass, Pope Leo expressed the hope of negotiations to bring a “Just and lasting peace” in Ukraine and offered sentences by The people of Gaza – Children, families and elders who “reduce hunger,” he said. Leo did not mention the hostages taken by Hamas in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, as Francis did when he prayed for Gaza.

After the Mass, Pope Leo greeted the delegations one by one in the Basilica and had an adequate audience scheduled on Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Peruvian President Dina Boluarte.

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  • Vatican City
  • Papa Leo XIV

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