Pope Leo XIV, the first American Pope, was inaugurated in a special mass at St Peter’s Square, marking the beginning of his papacy. The inauguration was attended by tens of thousands of people, including presidents, princes, and other world leaders such as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria, US Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

President Tinubu met with Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City, Rome, Italy, following an invitation from the Pope. Their meeting signifies a moment in diplomatic and interfaith relations between Nigeria and the Holy See. During the inauguration mass, Pope Leo XIV expressed concerns over the war in Ukraine, warning against marginalisation of the poor and autocracy. He also criticised “hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the earth’s resources and marginalises the poorest”.

Pope Leo XIV received the ring of the fisherman from Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, symbolizing the pontiff's authority and reference to Peter, one of Jesus' disciples, regarded as the first pope. The Ring of the Fisherman represents the Pope's delegated authority as successor to St. Peter, the first Pope, and a reminder of the Church's mission to "fish for souls". He got emotional and shed tears as he received the Fisherman's Ring.

Prior to the inauguration mass, Pope Leo XIV made his appearance tour of St Peter’s Square on Sunday in a popemobile, greeting pilgrims and well-wishers. He stood in the white vehicle as it drove through cheering crowds, smiling, waving and making the sign of the cross. The 69-year-old Chicago-born pontiff, who spent two decades as a missionary in Peru, has called for peace in a world full of conflicts and defended social justice. He has also emphasized traditional Catholic values, including the importance of a family built around a stable union of a man and a woman, and defended the rights of the unborn.

The election of the first US pope is a godsend to businesses in Rome, as pilgrims flocking to the Vatican are expected to spend in the Eternal City. Shopkeepers in the historical Trastevere district say tourists from the United States are usually excellent customers and tippers.