Pope Leo XIV will officially take charge as the head of the Roman Catholic Church on Sunday with a grand opening inaugural Mass at St. Peter's Square, ushering in a new age for the 1.4-billion-strong global Catholic population.

The ceremony, scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m., is set to attract thousands of devotees, alongside a high-profile gathering of world leaders and European royalty. It will also feature Pope Leo’s first official ride in the white popemobile, symbolizing his public emergence as the spiritual leader of the Church. Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost of Chicago and also a Peruvian citizen, is the first pope from the United States as well as a South American country. A longtime missionary in Peru, the 69-year-old was elected pope on May 8 after an unusually brief conclave of just under 24 hours. He takes over from Pope Francis, who died on April 21 after a radical 12-year pontificate.

At the Mass, Pope Leo XIV will be conferred the pallium, a woolen vestment representative of his office as shepherd of the Church, and the ring of the fisherman, a gold signet ring used to sign documents throughout his papacy. The ritual will feature prayers in various languages—Latin, Italian, Arabic, Greek, French, Portuguese, Polish, and Chinese—expressing the worldwide unity of the Church.

Global Leaders, Royals To Join Papal Mass

Among the guests are American Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Peru, Israel, Nigeria, Italy, Canada, and Australia are also scheduled to attend. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Spanish monarchs King Felipe and Queen Letizia will be in the VIP area close to the altar.

Vance-Zelenskyy Meet

US Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will both attend the grand inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, raising the possibility of a high-stakes meeting between the two leaders. A top aide to Zelenskyy told Reuters that the Ukrainian President “would be happy to meet with Vance and other attending leaders,” as he did during the funeral of Pope Francis. This would carry significant geopolitical weight amid heightened global tensions from the ongoing war in Ukraine to renewed instability in the Middle East. Zelenskiy last met Vance in February in the White House, when the two men clashed fiercely in front of the world's media.

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Emphasis On Peace and Reconciliation

While Pope Leo has largely refrained from outlining specific policy directions, he has consistently emphasized the importance of peace since his election. In his first address from the Vatican balcony, he said, “Peace be with you all.” Last week, he greeted the India-Pakistan ceasefire with hopes for lasting peace. "Never again war! God grant the world the gift of peace," the Pope proclaimed from the historic loggia of St. Peter's Basilica.

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