Rome
Cnn
–
Leo XIV, the very first American pope, condemned the exploitation of the poor and called for unity in the church during his inaugural mass on Saint-Pierre square, an event assisted by world leaders, royalty and tens of thousands of believers.
The 267th pontiff arrived at the Vatican on the Popemobile and was greeted by the cheers of the huge crowd while it was visited for the first time Saint-Pierre square in the specially designed motor vehicle. According to the authorities, around 100,000 people gathered at the start of the mass.
During his tour on the Popemobile, Pope Leo was seen briefly stopping and embracing a child.
The songs of “viva il dad” were repeated several times, and there have been cries of joy and noisy applause while the pontiff entered the Saint-Pierre square for the start of the mass.
Among the people present at the two-hour liturgy, there was American vice-president JD Vance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who were seen to shake hands before the start of the service. Leo should meet Zelensky later Sunday.
The president of Peru, Dina Boluarte, the head of the country where Pope Leo, was also missionary and bishop for several decades.
Countries around the world were represented, the Vatican accommodation delegates of more than 150 nations.
Offer his homily – a key moment in the service so that the new Pope reports his priorities – Leo said there was no room in the Catholic Church for “religious propaganda” or the parts of power, and rather called for unity, a possible reference to the divisions among the reformists and the conservatives who became more austere under the predecessor François.
Leo also condemned an economic system that exploits “the resources of the poorest and marginalizes the poorest”.
The pontiff echoes the humility of François, affirming that he was not chosen for the role of the head of the Catholic Church for his own merits and rather takes him as a “brother, who wishes to be the servant of your faith and your joy”.
At the end of the mass, Leo called for a “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine and offered prayers for Gaza, where “children, families, the elderly, survivors are hungry”.
The service of May 18 was rich in symbolism and included the official conferences at the lion of the symbols of the office, including the pallium – a lamb wool clothing symbolizing its pastoral care for the church and the role of shepherd to his herd – and the fisherman’s ring, which symbolizes the authority of the pope as the first pope.
A series of applause broke out while the pope received the lamb lip pallium and put it for the first time during the service.
The Vatican published the details of the ring, which has an image of St. Peter on the outside group, with “Leo XIV” and the coat of arms of the Pope engraved inside.
All the bishops wear rings to show their link with the local church they lead and the pope’s ring, as a bishop of Rome, symbolizes his “engagement” to the whole church.
When he was delivered Leo, he looked visibly moved, looking at his annular.
The readings of the scriptures in the mass have concentrated on the figure of Saint-Pierre and the central passage of the Gospel of John, a text considered as fundamental of the Ministry of the Pope as a successor to Saint-Pierre.
Papal inauguration ceremonies have changed over the years. For centuries, he also involved a “coronation”, which included the implementation of the papal tiara on the head of the new Pope. The last papal “coronation” was from Paul VI in 1963. However, he decided to sell the tiara and give the product to a charity. In the United States, Catholics have bought this diadem, which is now exposed to the National Sanctuary of Immaculate Design in Washington, DC
