The new Pope

Leo XIV, everything is ready for the mass at the beginning of the pontificate. More than 250,000 faithful expected in Rome

The capital is preparing for the ceremony of the new Pontiff's inauguration, which will begin early in the morning with a Popemobile ride through the crowds in St. Peter's Square. One hundred and fifty-six delegations present: Zelensky also arriving

by Redaction Rome

17 May 2025

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Roma: alla cerimonia di insediamento di Leone XIV attesi 250mila fedeli

5' min read

Key points

Symbols of the beginning of the new pontificate
The geography of the square
Delegations attending the ceremony
From Macron to the Spanish royals: who will be there
President Herzog arriving from Israel. Zelensky also confirmed
Focus on US Vice President Vance
A NPC delegation also attended the mass
The new Pope's strategy
Security Plan

5' min read

Everything is ready in Rome for the rite of the beginning of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, which will begin at 9 am with a passage of the Pontiff in a Popemobile through the crowds in St. Peter's Square, which is scheduled to open to the public at 6 am. After the farewell to Pope Francis, Rome is therefore preparing for the day of the inauguration of the new Pontiff, for which more than 250,000 faithful and numerous heads of state and government are expected. The final list of delegations that will participate in Sunday's ceremony is not yet known, but there should be 156 in addition to representatives of other Christian Churches and all religions.

The symbols of the beginning of the new pontificate

While we wait to know the details of the enthronement mass, it is certain that after the greeting outside the Basilica, the Pope will re-enter St. Peter's, to move to the altar of the Apostolic Confession, corresponding to the Tomb of Peter, where he will find resting the Pallium and the papal ring that he will have to wear, and with these symbols he will begin his pontificate through a ceremony that is among the most solemn masses in the Vatican, even if Pope Bergoglio had trimmed the rite.

The geography of the square

This will be the moment of the new Pontiff's 'programmatic' speech. The celebration should last at least a couple of hours and will be closed by the recitation of the Regina Coeli, which in this liturgical period replaces the Angelus. The mass is open to all, no tickets are required, but the geography of the square is drawn. On the parvis to the left, looking at the basilica, after the concelebrants, there will be the ecclesiastics, that is, archbishops and bishops, and also delegations from the Christian churches. On the right, as always, will be the delegations of countries, with heads of state and government. Coming down from the parvis, on the left will be representatives of other religions, priests and seminarians. On the other side, on the right, will be the diplomatic corps and other authorities.

L'insediamento di Papa Leone XIV, Gualtieri: "Predisposto perimetro in grado di contenere 250mila persone"

The delegations attending the rite

As for the funeral of Pope Francis, many official delegations will arrive in the capital: among Heads of State, Government and representatives of the main international institutions, an impressive influx of authorities from all over the world is expected. Representing Washington will be Vice President J.D. Vance, while from Brussels the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, are confirmed.

From Macron to the Spanish royals: who will be there

Also expected on the parvis are the main European leaders: French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will not be there. And, for the United Kingdom, not even King Charles and Prince William (who had represented the crown at the funeral of Pope Francis) will be present, but Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, accompanied by his wife Sophie, will arrive. The presence of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia has been confirmed from Spain. From Belgium, King Felipe and Queen Mathilde, already present at the funeral of Pope Francis, also return to St. Peter's..

President Herzog arrives from Israel. Zelensky also confirmed

Also present will be the new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, successor to Olaf Scholz, who will also meet Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni today, as well as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and recently re-elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. From Israel, President Isaac Herzog is expected. Argentine President Javier Milei, initially expected to attend but held up in his home country by election commitments, will not be there. Doubts also exist about the presence of some European crowned heads, such as Princess Caroline of Monaco. While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who will arrive in Rome with his wife Olena, has confirmed his presence.

L'insediamento di Papa Leone XIV, il prefetto di Roma: "Quante delegazioni? Le stesse dei funerali di Francesco"

Focus on US Vice-President Vance

The presence of such a large number of authorities opens up the possibility of new meetings. It is no coincidence that the Vatican is already looking to Sunday's mass as an opportunity for diplomacy to return to the field in grand style this time, unlike at Francis' funeral, with a Pope freshly elected and with the strong mandate of an entire College of Cardinals voting. And, among the delegations present, there is already a rush to greet the new Pontiff even if all the spotlights will inevitably be on the Americans, on Ukraine and, above all, on how Leo will eventually manage to get not only them but also other 'super guests' to talk to each other at the globally renowned event.

At the mass also a delegation from the NPC

Thus, despite the tight mesh of liturgy and protocol provided for the enthronement mass, and with the contingent times, possible diplomatic off-plans or real bilaterals such as the one expected with US Vice-President Vance are not excluded. Whom, as it will be recalled, Pope Leo as a cardinal had chastised on X stressing that "Jesus does not ask us to rank our love for others" and whom he might now decide to meet. "Certainly the Protocol is working on a face-to-face," assured the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. At the mass there will also be, as mentioned, the Israeli president Herzog, a sign of a willingness here too, to mend fences after the relations that rippled in the last part of Francis. And at the same time a delegation from the Palestinian National Authority will not be absent when it is known that the grave situation in the Gaza Strip, with also the concern for the Israeli hostages in the hands of Hamas, was one of the topics most shared by the more than 133 cardinals voting in the general congregations.

The new Pope's strategy

In short, the possible grounds for discussion are different and will also take into account the latest developments, starting with the outcome of the Istanbul summit which, at least as far as the forfeit of the major leaders is concerned, was described as "tragic" by Parolin: "We hoped that a process could begin, perhaps slowly but with a solution, and instead we are back at the beginning. Now we will see what to do, but the situation is very difficult'. The Pope, however, Parolin reiterated, intends to 'eventually make the Vatican, the Holy See, available for a direct meeting between the two parties'. A format that could not instead work for Gaza: 'There the situation is too different,' he explained, 'but in any case we are always willing to help, to facilitate. In short, Leo XIV's installation mass aims to build new "bridges" in the sign of that search for peace that the Pontiff himself had relaunched, from the balcony of the central loggia of St. Peter's, immediately after his proclamation.

The security plan

As with Bergoglio's funeral rite, Pope Leo XIV's mass at the beginning of his pontificate will be marked by an impressive security plan. In the field there will be over six thousand men and women of the police force, specialised personnel for escorting foreign authorities, anti-drone devices, sharpshooters, dog snipers, bomb disposal squads, 300 firemen, more than a thousand volunteers of the Civil Defence, as many stewards and military personnel, a thousand men of Ama and local police officers. From Sunday, the no-fly zone and the prohibition of navigation on the stretch of the Tiber near the Vatican will also come into effect. And, for those who will not be able to reach St. Peter's, maxi-screens will be set up in Piazza Risorgimento and Piazza Cavour.