Description

On 18 May 2025, Pope Leo XIV celebrated the inauguration Mass of his pontificate, formally known as the Mass for the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome. The event was attended by some 200,000 people, including dozens of world leaders and 150 formal delegations. While Leo became the Roman pontiff at the moment of his acceptance in the Sistine Chapel upon being elected in the 2025 papal conclave, the inauguration celebration marked the formal beginning of his ministry as the bishop of Rome. The Mass included the bestowal of the pallium and Ring of the Fisherman, and was followed by meetings with various delegations and world leaders.