… As New Pontiff calls for unity, justice
President Bola Tinubu was among several world leaders present at St Peter’s Square on Sunday for the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, the new head of the Roman Catholic Church.
After the mass, Tinubu briefly exchanged greetings and a handshake with the newly elected pontiff, joining figures such as US Vice President J.D. Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in meeting the pope.
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, became the first American to lead the global Catholic Church after his election on 8 May.
The 69-year-old celebrated his inaugural mass before tens of thousands of pilgrims, as well as dignitaries from across the world, marking the formal start of his papacy.
Before the ceremony, he made his first tour in the popemobile, smiling and blessing the crowds gathered at the Vatican.
In his homily, the new pope delivered a powerful message, urging the Church to be a transformative force in a world plagued by violence, hatred, and inequality.
He condemned the exploitation of the Earth’s resources and the marginalisation of the poor, while calling for unity that respects cultural and personal diversity.
Drawing from his missionary work in Peru, he warned against isolationism and called on Catholics to extend love and solidarity to all.
Leo XIV acknowledged the solemnity of his new office, telling the crowd he accepted the role with “fear and trembling” and sought to serve as a brother and a servant of joy and faith.
Earlier, he prayed at the tomb of Saint Peter beneath the basilica and received the papal emblems: the pallium and the fisherman’s ring, symbols of his new authority.
Among the attendees were German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Peruvian President Dina Boluarte, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Tight security surrounded the Vatican, with thousands of officers, snipers, and anti-drone units deployed.
Leo’s election has sparked widespread enthusiasm in the United States but stirred concern elsewhere over the growing global influence of America.
Still, many pilgrims expressed hope. Inacia Lisboa, a Cape Verdean living in Rome, said Leo had already “entered my heart” and called on him to pray for global peace.
A visiting student from Chicago, Sophia Tripp, expressed hope that the pope would bring people together, saying, “We are all human, an we should just all be loving to one another.”
Leo XIV succeeds Pope Francis, who died on 21 April after a 12-year pontificate.
He acknowledged on Sunday some trepidation in his new role.
“I was chosen, without any merit of my own, and now, with fear and trembling, I come to you as a brother who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy,” he said.
Ahead of the mass, Leo visited the tomb of Saint Peter — who in the Christian tradition was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, and the first pope, located under the altar of the basilica that bears his name.
He then received the pontifical emblems, the pallium, a strip of cloth worn over the chasuble, his robe, and the fisherman’s ring, which is forged anew for each pope and which he will wear on his finger until he dies, when it will be destroyed.
