"The fourteenth Pope" assumes the leadership of the Catholic Church.
Today, Sunday, May 18, witnessed the inauguration of American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the new Pope of the Catholic Church under the name "Pope Leo XIV" in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican. He was chosen by the College of Cardinals on May 8, becoming the first Pope from the United States in the Church's history spanning two thousand years.
The ceremony took place amidst tight security measures, including the deployment of thousands of security personnel and surveillance aircraft, while tens of thousands of believers gathered to watch the mass, which was broadcast globally in several languages.
The new Pope, 69 years old, received the traditional papal symbols, including the pallium (white stole) and the fisherman's ring, in a ceremony reflecting the continuity of ecclesiastical traditions.
In his first address, the Pope emphasized the priority of peace, stating that "justice will be its compass, and peace its goal, in a world where conflicts are multiplying."
His papacy began with calls to resolve global crises, including the release of imprisoned journalists and mediating between warring parties.
The mass was attended by a large number of leaders and dignitaries, including US Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as well as heads of states such as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Israeli Prime Minister Isaac Herzog, and Lebanese President Michel Aoun, along with prominent European figures like German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The ceremony also saw the distinguished presence of royal figures, such as the Belgian monarchs, the Spanish king, and Prince Edward of Britain.
It is expected that the papacy of the new Pope, who spent a significant part of his ecclesiastical service in Peru, will focus on humanitarian and international issues, continuing the approach of his late predecessor Pope Francis, but with a unique imprint that may bring about changes in the policies of the Catholic Church in the coming years.
