VATICAN CITY, May 18, 2025 — Pope Leo XIV, di first US pontiff, don make im grand debut for St. Peter’s Square on Sunday inside papamobile, dey greet tens of thousands of pilgrims and well-wishers ahead of im inauguration mass. Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost, wey don become head of di world’s 1.4 billion Catholics since May 8, dey wave, smile, and make di sign of di cross as di vehicle dey carry am through di cheering crowd.
US Vice President JD Vance dey among di hundreds of dignitaries wey go attend di inauguration mass wey go start at 10:00 a.m. (0800 GMT). Leo go preside over di ceremony wey full of rites and symbolism, where e go receive im special papal ring before e go deliver homily wey go set di tone for im papacy.
Before dis, di 69-year-old pope don spend 20 years as missionary for Peru. Many Catholics no sabi am well, but for di past week, he don show dem di kind leader wey e go be. For meetings with journalists, clergy, and diplomats, he don dey call for peace for di world wey full of conflicts and dey defend social justice. E still talk say traditional Catholic values important, especially di need for family wey dey built around ‘stable union of a man and a woman,’ and e stand for di rights of di unborn.
Inacia Lisboa, 71, wey come from Cape Verde but dey live for Rome, talk say she wake up early to find good spot to see di new pope. She say, “E don enter my heart already.” When asked wetin she want make e talk, she reply, “First thing be say make e pray for all of us, for peace in di world — we need am so much.”
Di elevation of Leo don spark huge excitement for di United States, wey Vance dey represent, and wey convert to Catholicism for 2019. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, wey dey also Catholic, go dey there. Before he become pope, di new pontiff post some criticism for im personal X account about Donald Trump‘s administration and also lash Vance, but di account don disappear now. Vance na di last world leader wey meet di late Pope Francis before e die on April 21 after 12 years for di position.
Oda notable guests wey dey expected include Ukraine‘s Volodymyr Zelensky, wey sabi meet Trump for St. Peter’s Basilica during Francis’s funeral, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Di list from di Vatican also show di presence of Peruvian President Dina Boluarte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Colombia‘s Gustavo Petro, alongside plenty European royals.
Italian authorities don deploy thousands of security officers for di event, alongside snipers for di rooftops and anti-drone operations to ensure safety.
Pope Leo XIV wey na di 267th pope, don start im reign after e elected for May 8, following a secret conclave vote of cardinals wey no last reach 24 hours. As he take over from di charismatic but impulsive Francis, e go manage a Church wey still dey cope with di issues from di clerical child abuse scandal while trying to fit into di modern world. But modernity no dey worry dem on Sunday.
Although no pope don dey crowned during inauguration mass since Paul VI for 1963, di event still dey grand and filled with tradition. Leo go start by visiting di tomb of Saint Peter, wey na di first pope, located under di altar of di basilica wey carry im name.
After dat, Leo go receive di pontifical emblems — di pallium, a strip of cloth wey e go wear over im robe, and di fisherman’s ring, wey dem go forge brand new for each pope, and wey she go wear until e die, when e go destroy am. With oda cardinals and clergy, di pope go waka in procession enter St. Peter’s Square, where large screens go display di proceedings to di crowd. At di end of di ceremony, di pope go greet di delegations of heads of state, but we no clear if any go get private audience with am.
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