NEW POPE LEO XIV CELEBRATES INAUGURATION MASS ON SUNDAY, MAY 18 AT ST. PETER’S SQUARE

CALITODAY (May 18, 2025) – Today, Sunday, May 18, Pope Leo XIV held his inauguration Mass at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

The inauguration Mass began Sunday at St. Peter’s Square, with the attendance of hundreds of dignitaries, including U.S. Vice President JD Vance, and tens of thousands of worshippers.

Robert Francis Prevost, born in Chicago, became the first American Pope to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics on May 8, 2025, after being elected by 133 cardinals in the papal conclave. Before the Mass, Pope Leo XIV made his first journey around St. Peter’s Square in the popemobile.

Standing in the white, open-top popemobile, the Pope blessed tens of thousands of faithful and visitors in the square, greeting pilgrims and well-wishers with a smile, hand waves, and the sign of the cross.

During the homily, Pope Leo XIV laid out his papal priorities, criticizing economic systems that exploit nature and marginalize the poor.

"In our time, we still see far too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, fear of difference, and an economic model that exploits Earth’s resources while casting aside the poorest," Pope Leo XIV said.

Vice President JD Vance was among hundreds of dignitaries attending the Mass, which began at 10 a.m. local time (0800 GMT). The ceremony included symbolic rites, where the Pope received his special papal ring and delivered his first homily that will shape his papacy.

After two decades as a missionary in Peru, the 69-year-old cardinal was relatively unknown to most Catholics. Over the past week, however, he has given a glimpse of the kind of leader he intends to be.

On Sunday, May 18, in his first public blessing, Pope Leo XIV issued a powerful appeal: “no more war.”

The Pope called on world powers to seek true and lasting peace in Ukraine, urged a ceasefire in Gaza, and demanded the release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas militants.

He also welcomed the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan reached on Saturday and said he was praying for a “miracle of peace” in the world.

Pope Leo XIV recited the Regina Caeli prayer to honor the Virgin Mary in front of tens of thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square and along the Via della Conciliazione leading into the Vatican.

One woman awaiting the Regina Caeli prayer was moved to tears during the Pope’s first Sunday blessing as pontiff at the basilica.

Speaking from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pope repeated the famous appeal: “no more war,” echoing the frequent plea of the late Pope Francis.

He referenced the recent commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, in which an estimated 60 million people died.

Pope Leo XIV described today’s world as being amid “a piecemeal World War III,” repeating a phrase coined by Pope Francis.

The crowd erupted in applause as the Pope’s peace message resonated. Tens of thousands came to witness the newly elected 267th Pope deliver his first Sunday address.

He expressed personal sorrow for the suffering in Ukraine and also lamented the situation in Gaza. Calling for immediate ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and release of remaining hostages, he responded to Israel’s resumption of airstrikes after a broken two-month truce.

Nuns cheered from below the basilica as Pope Leo XIV made his appearance. His message builds on the legacy of Pope Francis, who also called for Gaza ceasefire and hostage release in his Easter address on April 20, 2025, just one day before his death.

Following Pope Francis’s death, Leo XIV was elected on Thursday, May 8, 2025, after a two-day conclave in the Sistine Chapel.

Previously known as Cardinal Robert Prevost, he chose the name “Leo” in tribute to Pope Leo XIII, renowned for his teachings on social justice.

He celebrated his first Mass as Pope at the Sistine Chapel on Friday and described himself as “an unworthy choice” for the papacy during a meeting with the cardinals on Saturday.

World leaders and faithful across the globe have hailed the new pontiff as “the people’s pope”, emphasizing his focus on laypeople and inclusivity, key priorities inherited from Pope Francis.

In all of his public appearances since being elected, Pope Leo XIV has avoided mentioning his American nationality, prompting criticism from some conservative U.S. commentators.

Previously, American flags had waved in anticipation of his appearance from the central balcony for his first Sunday blessing on May 11.

Before becoming pope, he openly criticized former President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, particularly over their harsh immigration policies.

In February, Prevost shared an article titled, “JD Vance is Wrong: Jesus Never Asked Us to Rank Our Love for Others.”

In his first address Thursday evening, Pope Leo XIV emphasized that he is a descendant of immigrants, calling for compassion for refugees and migrants worldwide. He indirectly reminded Americans that Trump’s wife and in-laws are immigrants, as is Vice President Vance’s wife, whose family hails from India.

“How can those in power justify such cruel treatment of migrants—separating children from their parents and locking them in cages at the border?” he asked.

Hạnh Dương – Cali Today