Pope Leo XIV set for papal inauguration as world leaders gather at Vatican

The ceremony will mark the official start of Leo’s papacy, as he will formally receive the pallium, a woolen stole symbolising his role as shepherd, and the fisherman’s ring.

3 min readUpdated: May 18, 2025 08:50 AM IST

The pope has made it clear in his first addresses that peace will be central to his papacy. (AP Photo)

Pope Leo XIV will formally become the head of the Catholic Church today in a grand papal inauguration at St. Peter’s Square, drawing tens of thousands of pilgrims and a gathering of world leaders and dignitaries to the Vatican. The ceremony will mark the official start of Leo’s papacy.

The pope will formally receive the pallium, a woolen stole symbolising his role as shepherd, and the fisherman’s ring, a gold signet engraved with an image of St. Peter. The ring, unique to each pontiff, will be used to seal important documents and will be ceremonially destroyed upon his death.

He will also ride the white popemobile for the first time.

The papal Mass is expected to have a long list of world leaders and royals in attendance.

Global leaders attending

The United States will be represented by Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who last met Vance in a tense February encounter at the White House, is also attending, amid speculation of possible sideline diplomacy.

Other confirmed attendees include:

Albania – President Bajram Bega
Armenia – President Vahagn Khachaturyan
Australia – Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
Austria – Chancellor Christian Stocker
Belgium – King Philippe, Queen Mathilde, and Prime Minister Bart De Wever
Britain – Prince Edward
Bulgaria – Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov
Canada – Prime Minister Mark Carney
Colombia – President Gustavo Petro
Croatia – Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic
Ecuador – President Daniel Noboa
European Union – Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
France – Prime Minister Francois Bayrou
Gabon – President Brice Oligui Nguema
Germany – Chancellor Friedrich Merz
Georgia – President Mikheil Kavelashvili
Hungary – President Tamas Sulyok
Italy – President Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
Ireland – President Michael D. Higgins
Israel – President Isaac Herzog
Latvia – Prime Minister Evika Silina
Lebanon – President Joseph Aoun
Lithuania – President Gitanas Nauseda
Luxembourg – Prime Minister Luc Frieden
Malta – Prime Minister Robert Abela
Monaco – Prince Albert and Princess Charlene
Morocco – Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch
Netherlands – Queen Maxima, Prime Minister Dick Schoof
Nigeria – President Bola Tinubu
Paraguay – President Santiago Pena
Peru – President Dina Boluarte
Poland – President Andrzej Duda
Portugal – President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Serbia – Prime Minister Djuro Macut
Slovenia – Prime Minister Robert Golob
Slovakia – President Peter Pellegrini
Spain – King Felipe and Queen Letizia
Switzerland – President Karin Keller-Sutter
Togo – President Faure Gnassingbe

Also Read: | Vatican could be venue for Russia-Ukraine talks, Rubio says, after pope renews offer to help

Though relatively new to the global stage, Leo XIV has made it clear in his first addresses that peace will be central to his papacy. He has pledged to make “every effort” toward peace, emphasising that war is “never inevitable.” He also expressed openness to the Vatican playing a mediating role in global disputes.

Leo XIV—born Robert Prevost in Chicago—is the first American pope and also holds Peruvian citizenship, having spent decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru.

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His election on May 8 came after a swift conclave. He succeeds Pope Francis of Argentina, who died on April 21 after a 12-year tenure.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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