Pope Leo celebrates his inaugural mass at Vatican
Digest more
Were Princess Charlene, Queen Letizia, Queen Mathilde and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa allowed to wear white at Pope Leo XIV's inauguration mass? All about the royal rule!
Fierce Nigerian political rivals Peter Obi and President Bola Tinubu were seen laughing and joking at Pope Leo XIV's inaugural mass in Rome. Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress defeated Obi of the Labour Party in the heated and tightly contested 2023 presidential election - a victory Obi challenged at the Supreme Court without success.
St. John Paul II’s birthday is May 18; he was born on this day in 1920 in Wadowice, Poland. When he was elected to the papacy in 1978, he became the first non-Italian to be elected as the Holy Father since the 16th century. Now, Leo XIV has become the first U.S.-born pope — in 2,000 years.
The service marks the official start of Leo's papacy just under a month after the death of his predecessor, Pope Francis. The ceremony began with a procession from St. Peter's Basilica — where Leo and other church leaders visited St. Peter's tomb to pray — to St. Peter's Square, where the Inauguration Mass was held.
Explore more