The Catholic Church formally welcomed its new leader on May 8 as Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, participated in his solemn inauguration mass at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.
The 69-year-old pontiff made his way through gathered faithful in the traditional popemobile, acknowledging the crowds with waves and blessings. In a touching moment that captured the attention of onlookers, Pope Leo paused to extend a special blessing to two infants. The children were carefully lifted from their parents’ arms by security personnel and briefly presented to the Pope, who blessed each child before they were returned to their families. The grateful parents could be seen expressing their appreciation as the popemobile continued its procession toward the basilica.
The inaugural celebration drew religious dignitaries and world leaders alike, with notable attendees including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and U.S. Vice President JD Vance. Following these ceremonies, Pope Leo is expected to take residence in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, occupying the papal apartments that overlook St. Peter’s Square.
Pope Leo XIV makes history as the first American to lead the Catholic Church, a development that President Donald Trump characterized as “such an honor.” Born near Dolton, Illinois in Chicago, the new pontiff brings a relatively youthful presence to the papacy at 69 years of age.
Despite his American origins, Pope Leo’s ecclesiastical career has been largely international. After his ordination in 1982, he spent significant portions of the 1980s and 1990s serving in Peru, where he eventually became a naturalized citizen. According to Newsweek, his service there encompassed roles as parish priest, diocesan official, seminary instructor, and administrator. His academic credentials include a doctorate in canon law from Rome’s Pontifical College of St. Thomas Aquinas.
Noted for his fluency in Spanish and Italian, Pope Leo previously served as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2023 before being elevated to cardinal. As a close associate of his predecessor, he received two significant Vatican appointments: first as apostolic administrator of Peru’s Callao diocese in 2020, and later as Prefect within the Dicastery for Bishops in 2023—a powerful Vatican office overseeing global episcopal appointments.
The inauguration followed traditional Catholic protocols, beginning with white-robed cardinals greeting the Altar of the Confession in St. Peter’s Basilica. The ceremony included Pope Leo’s veneration of the altar, a moment of prayer at St. Peter’s tomb, and the presentation of the pallium and fisherman’s ring—significant symbols of papal authority. The event proceeded with a formal procession to St. Peter’s Square, liturgical readings, and the ceremonial placement of these symbols upon the new pontiff, with the fisherman’s ring specifically placed on the ring finger of his left hand.
This ceremonial installation completes the formal transition of leadership for the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics as Pope Leo XIV begins his pontificate.