Pope Leo’s inauguration to draw huge crowds – and reveal clues about the papacy to come
Around quarter of a million people are expected to pack into St Peter’s Square in Vatican City on Sunday to watch the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV.
The event marks the start of the Pope’s term.
During the ceremony, the new pontiff is given the pallium and the fisherman’s ring as symbols of his new authority.
However, every pope is free to slightly tweak the ceremony to make it more personal.
Vatican watchers say these small details can give us clues about the man chosen to lead 1.4 billion Catholics.
For example, Pope Francis used an open-top jeep during his procession in 2013.
Here he made a conscious choice to abandon the bulletproof casing often favoured by his predecessor and get closer to the crowd.
His decision to stop the car so he could get down to greet babies and the sick was a glimpse of the characteristics which led many to later label him “the pope of the people”.
“That’s not [Leo’s] personality,” says Father Francesco Giordano, a professor of theology at the Catholic University of America in Rome. “Francis was more out there, Leo is more shy and reserved.”
Francis famously stripped away the more grand aspects of the papacy – including at his inauguration in 2013. Pic: Reuters
Father Giordano describes the new pontiff as “warm, attentive and a good listener”.
He sees him as a blend of the previous popes, with charisma and emotional expressiveness like John Paul II, intellectual depth like Benedict XVI, and a focus on social issues like Francis.
Some of Pope Leo’s decisions in the last week seem to reinforce this idea.
Benedict wearing golden robes at his inauguration in 2005. Pic: Reuters
When he was elected, he echoed Benedict in wearing the traditional red mozzetta – a short elbow-length cape – and moving into the Apostolic Palace, but he followed Francis in wearing his own black shoes rather than the traditional red slippers.
In doing the former, he returned to some of the traditions Francis broke with.
During his first speech on the balcony, Pope Leo talked about building bridges and Father Giordano believes he’s the perfect candidate to unite the church, as some conservatives who felt alienated by Francis will be reassured by the return to some of the traditional customs.
Sunday’s inauguration mass is also significant as the pope will give a homily – offering further clues as to the type of man he is.
This is the moment where Leo will outline his concerns for the future and how he will shape the role going forwards, according to Vatican journalist Marco Griego.
“This will be the first manifesto of the papacy where we will see the lines he will draw in the future; the themes – both religious and social,” he explains.
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Leo’s first Sunday address
Global conflict is one of the issues which may be touched upon.
In multiple statements since his election, Leo has raised concerns about the various wars being fought around the world.
In fact, “peace” was the first word he spoke to the public when he greeted them from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica after being elected last Thursday.
Pope Leo being introduced to the world on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica
War has also been a hot topic in his social media posts.
“War is never inevitable,” he told his 18.6 million followers on X on Wednesday. “Weapons can and must fall silent, for they never solve problems but only intensify them.
“Those who sow peace will endure throughout history, not those who reap victims. Others are not enemies to hate but human beings with whom to speak.”
On the same day he offered “to help enemies meet”, and while a peace summit isn’t going to be hosted on the sidelines of the inauguration, it will bring together hundreds of high-powered delegates from around the world including US vice president JD Vance, US secretary of state Marco Rubio, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The astonishing picture of presidents Zelenskyy and Trump talking at Francis’s funeral shows how these solemn religious ceremonies are also huge global events where leaders meet on neutral ground.
The two presidents met at Francis’s funeral for the first time since their White Office bust-up. Pic: AP
“From a geopolitical perspective, being there is a display of power for the political leaders,” says Marco Griego. “Also, it’s a chance to make links or hold informal discussions, so it’s also a very important diplomatic meeting.”
It’s an opportunity some seem keen to make the most of. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s team confirmed he will be at the mass and said while in Rome, he’s hoping to meet other international leaders to discuss deepening trade, commerce, and cultural ties.
And as part of the inauguration event, pontiffs usually meet various delegations.
JD Vance – who converted to Catholicism in 2019 – met Francis the day before he died. Pic: Reuters
Vatican secretary of state Pietro Parolin told journalists a face-to-face meeting between the Pope and the US vice president on the sidelines of Leo’s inauguration on Sunday is a possibility – while stressing “the problem is that there are so many delegations, the timing is very tight and so it will be a matter of seeing if there is space”.
In 2013, Francis spent around an hour speaking to leaders after the mass and once again, Vatican watchers will be carefully analysing the interactions.
Before he became Pope Leo XIV, the then Cardinal Robert Prevost reposted articles which criticised Mr Vance and Mr Trump’s stance on immigration.
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Americans react to getting a pope from the US
In 2023, following violent anti-government protests in Peru that resulted in 49 deaths, he expressed “much sorrow and much pain” to Peruvian media.
He also urged Peru’s then president Alberto Fujimori to “personally ask forgiveness for the great injustices that were committed and for which he was prosecuted” in a 2017 public statement.
Read more:
The Pope’s inauguration – All you need to know
How voting for the new pontiff unfolded
Who is Pope Leo XIV?
However, Pope Leo’s supporters say he is a natural diplomat, who is considered and clear when he speaks – and will avoid any public fallout on such an important day.
Instead, Sunday’s inauguration is a chance for Pope Leo to set his agenda and build his relationships with both the public and those in power.
Donald Trump has said he will speak to Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy separately on Monday in a bid to secure a ceasefire deal between Russia and Ukraine.
The US president made the announcement on Truth Social – shortly after the Ukrainian president condemned Russia for the “deliberate killing of civilians” after a drone hit a bus in north-eastern Ukraine.
Mr Trump said he will speak to Mr Putin over the phone. He will then talk with Mr Zelenskyy and “various members of NATO”, he wrote.
In an all-caps post, he said: “HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE A PRODUCTIVE DAY, A CEASEFIRE WILL TAKE PLACE, AND THIS VERY VIOLENT WAR, A WAR THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED, WILL END. GOD BLESS US ALL!!!”
The Ukrainian town of Bilopillia today declared a period of mourning lasting until Monday after nine people were killed in a Russian drone attack – which occurred just hours after Kyiv and Moscow held peace talks.
Seven others were injured, Ukrainian authorities said. The bus was evacuating civilians from a frontline area when the drone hit, the country’s national police said.
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Nine killed in Russian strike on bus
A “father, mother and daughter” were among the dead, Mr Zelenskyy said, writing on Telegram: “All the deceased were civilians. And the Russians could not have failed to understand what kind of vehicle they were targeting.”
The attack has also been condemned by British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who said he was “appalled”.
“If Putin is serious about peace, Russia must agree to a full and immediate ceasefire, as Ukraine has done,” he wrote on X.
Representatives for Kyiv and Moscow met for direct peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey, just hours before the drone attack.
While the discussions – which were not attended by the Mr Putin or Mr Zelenskyy – did not result in a truce, both countries agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners in their biggest swap yet.
Ukraine’s intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, said on national television the exchange could happen as early as next week.
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What happened at Ukraine talks?
Russia ‘threatened eternal war’ at peace talks
After a Ukrainian official yesterday said Russia made “unacceptable” demands during the discussions, a source from the Kyiv delegation has now told Sky News that Moscow threatened “eternal war”.
Separately, a senior Kyiv official said Russia’s proposed ceasefire terms included the full withdrawal of troops from four regions of Ukraine: Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Luhansk.
Moscow also called for international recognition that those regions and Crimea – annexed in 2014 – are Russian and for Ukraine to become a neutral state, with no allied troops stationed there, they said.
The Kremlin declined to comment on the matter.
Read more:
What happened last time Putin and Zelenskyy met?
Ukrainians tortured and killed in Russian jails
Analysis: the chilling moment in Russia-Ukraine talks
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Ukraine has rallied support from its allies following the talks, and a number have spoken out.
French President Emmanuel Macron said: “Today, what do we have? Nothing. And so I tell you, faced with President Putin’s cynicism, I am sure that President Trump, mindful of the credibility of the United States, will react.”
The EU is working on a new package of sanctions against Moscow, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
Israel and Hamas said ceasefire talks have resumed in Qatar – even as Israeli forces ramped up a bombing campaign and mobilised for a massive new ground assault.
Earlier, the Israeli military said it had been “conducting extensive strikes and mobilising troops” as part of preparations to expand operations in Gaza.
Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said Hamas had “refused to discuss negotiations without a cessation of the war”, but after the airstrikes and the mobilisation of forces the militant group’s representatives “have agreed to sit in a room and seriously discuss the deal”.
“Israel emphasises that if the talks do not progress, the [military] operation will continue,” he added.
A Hamas source told Sky News that ceasefire talks began in Doha on Saturday morning.
Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a house in Jabalia. Pic: Reuters
Tents were targeted in an airstrike on Saturday at al Aqsa Hospital in Deir al Balah in central Gaza. Pic: AP
Hamas official Taher al-Nono told Reuters news agency that the two sides were involved in discussions without “pre-conditions”.
He added Hamas was “keen to exert all the effort needed” to help mediators make the negotiations a success.
More than 150 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza.
This week has been one of the deadliest phases of bombardment since a truce collapsed in March and marked a significant escalation in Israel’s offensive.
The Israeli military’s preparations to expand operations in Gaza have included the build-up of tanks and troops along the border.
It is part of “Operation Gideon Chariot”, which Israel says is aimed at defeating Hamas and getting its hostages back.
Israeli tanks near the Israel-Gaza border on Saturday. Pic: Reuters
An Israeli tank being relocated to a position near the Gaza border on Friday. Pic: AP
An Israeli defence official said earlier this month that the operation would not be launched before Donald Trump concluded his visit to the Middle East.
The US president ended his trip on Friday, with no apparent progress towards a new peace deal.
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Forensic look at Israel’s escalation
Meanwhile, on Saturday, leaders at the annual summit of the Arab League in Baghdad said they were trying to reach a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
They also promised to contribute to the reconstruction of the territory once the war stops.
The meeting comes two months after Israel ended a ceasefire reached with the Hamas militant group.
A man carrying the body of a child killed in Israeli airstrikes on Friday in Jabalia, northern Gaza. Pic: Reuters
Parts of northern Gaza have been completely destroyed in the bombing campaign. Pic: Reuters
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on 5 May that Israel was planning an expanded, intensive offensive against Hamas as his security cabinet approved plans that could involve seizing Gaza and controlling aid.
This week, Israel said it had bombed the European Hospital because it was home to an underground Hamas base, but Sky News analysis has cast doubt on its evidence.
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Israel’s goal is the elimination of Hamas, which attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing around 1,200 people and seizing about 250 hostages.
Its military response has killed more than 53,000 people, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
World
The chilling moment in Russia-Ukraine peace talks – as Putin makes mockery of Trump’s efforts to end war
Vladimir Putin made a mockery this week of Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Far from punishing him for it, the US president went out of his way to dodge calls to get tough with the Russian leader.
Follow latest updates on Ukraine war
On Sunday, President Trump called on leaders of both Russia and Ukraine to meet.
He posted: “President Putin of Russia wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the BLOODBATH. Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY.”
That post let the Russian leader off the hook. Only the day before, Putin had been ordered by Ukraine’s allies, including America, to agree to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire.
Pic: AP
The Russian president had swerved that demand, suggesting talks instead.
“If the ceasefire is not respected, the US and its partners will impose further sanctions,” Trump posted before swivelling and backing Putin’s proposals for talks instead.
Undeterred, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accepted the call.
Putin though refused to go, sending officials instead.
And yet there was no reprimand from the US president. Instead, he chose to undermine the talks he had himself called for.
“Look, nothing is going to happen until Putin and I get together,” he told reporters on Air Force One. So much for that then.
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What happened at Ukraine talks?
It is what happened in those talks though that should give the US president the greatest pause for thought about Putin’s intentions – as it does in Kyiv.
The message they brought was blunt and belligerent, threatening eternal war.
“We don’t want war, but we’re ready to fight for a year, two, three – however long it takes,” lead Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky is reported to have said. “We fought Sweden for 21 years. How long are you ready to fight?”
Russian negotiator Vladimir Medinsky. Pic: AP
Far from offering a compromise, they are reported to have demanded the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the four regions they have partially seized by force and the capitulation of another two, just for good measure.
And there was a chilling moment when the Russians are reported to have threatened their interlocutors like gangsters.
“Maybe some of those sitting here at this table will lose more of their loved ones,” Mednisky said. Russia is prepared to fight forever.
For Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister, that was personal.
Max, his 23-year-old nephew, lost his life fighting the Russians in 2022 not long after their illegal and unprovoked invasion began.
Read more from Sky News:
Nine killed in attack on Ukrainian bus
First direct Russia-Ukraine talks since 2022
Analysis: Talks reveal a stark reality about war
Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister. Pic: AP
At the end of this week, Putin appears scornful of Western efforts to end this war through a ceasefire and negotiations and Trump seems happy to let him get away with it.
Even Fox News, normally slavishly subservient to Trump, is wondering what gives.
Its anchor Bret Baier is no Jeremy Paxman, but in an interview last night asked Donald Trump 10 times if he might finally now put pressure on Putin.
The US president ducked and dived, talking about the money he had made in his Gulf tour, Zelenskyy’s shortcomings, Biden, and Iran instead. But he did not give a straight answer to the question.
With performances like that, Putin has nothing to worry about. Trump’s position though seems increasingly untenable.
Ukraine’s European allies though should be alarmed. They threatened Russia with sanctions and retaliation last weekend if he rejected a ceasefire. He now has.
With or without America, will they be good to their word?
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