Pope Leo XIV Pledges Unity, Peace at Inaugural Mass Before Global Audience

Pope Leo XIV, the Catholic Church’s first American pontiff, pledged on Sunday to foster unity and transform the Church into a global symbol of peace. He made the vow during a solemn inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square, attended by an estimated 200,000 people including world leaders, royals, and pilgrims.

Marking the formal start of his papacy, the 69-year-old Augustinian missionary took his first popemobile tour, greeting the crowds with warm smiles and blessings, including several moments where he stopped to kiss babies.

The weight of the moment appeared to touch the pope deeply as he received two traditional symbols of his new role — the lambswool stole draped over his shoulders and the fisherman’s ring placed on his finger. Visibly moved, Pope Leo paused, seemingly reflecting on the magnitude of leading the Church’s 1.4 billion faithful.

His message emphasized communion and reconciliation, setting a tone of spiritual renewal and global outreach at the start of his pontificate.