Pope Leo XIV’s First Mass Draws Global Attention
Approximately 250,000 pilgrims and numerous global leaders, including U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and British Prince Edward, will gather at St. Peter’s Square for Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural Mass.
The service is set for Sunday at 10 AM local time, marking a significant moment as Leo becomes the first pope from the United States in the Roman Catholic Church’s history.
Robert Prebust, a 69-year-old originally from Chicago, was elected earlier this month to succeed the late Pope Francis after a conclave that lasted under 26 hours.
Other dignitaries expected to participate include Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Argentine President Javier Milei, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Continuing a tradition, Leo will arrive at St. Peter’s Square in a unique way, likely generating excitement among the crowd as he takes time to greet attendees.
As part of the ceremony, the Pope will enter the Cathedral of St. Peter alongside Cardinals, where he will receive two symbolic gifts. The first is the Gold Signet Fisherman ring, which honors St. Peter, the first pope. This ring signifies the beginning and end of a pontificate, and upon a pope’s passing, it is destroyed by a senior cardinal. It was historically used to seal official documents until 1842.
The second gift is the wool pallium of the lamb, representing the Pope’s role as a shepherd, which will be draped over his shoulder before Mass begins.
JD Vance had a brief encounter with Pope Francis at the Vatican just a day before the latter’s passing, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attending on behalf of the U.S.
Before ascending to the papacy, Prevost expressed his criticisms of Donald Trump’s administration on social media, particularly on immigration issues. In February, he shared thoughts published in the National Catholic Reporter, arguing against views some hold regarding love for others.
The Vatican has neither confirmed nor denied the authenticity of Prevost’s social media posts, which may indicate a clash with Trump’s stance on various topics, including immigration.
His critical remarks have garnered backlash from some conservative supporters of Trump since his election as pope. Activist Laura Rumer labeled him “anti-Trump, anti-MAGA, and a complete Marxist like Pope Francis” on social media.
Recently, Pope Leo XIV announced plans to remain active on social media through platforms like X and Instagram. He has a massive following—52 million across nine languages—on X, a platform owned by Elon Musk, where he communicates to a broad audience.
In one of his initial messages on X, Leo stated, “The Holy See helps the enemy meet, so they can look at each other, allowing people to regain the dignity they deserve, leading to the dignity of peace.”
