Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, will direct his inaugural mass on Sunday, according to the Vatican.
The Mass, called Holy Mass for the beginning of the pontificate, will begin in the city of Vatican on Sunday at 10 am local time (4 am et), said the Vatican press office.
Before the beginning of the Mass, Leo will greet the tens of thousands of people who are expected to be in the crowd, according to the officials.
Pope Leone XIV leads the Caeli Regina Prayer in the Plaza de San Pedro on May 11, 2025 in the city of the Vatican.
Francesco Sforza/Vatican Media through Getty Images
The Mass, which will take place in the Basilica of San Pedro, will begin with the tomb of San Pedro, according to Vatican officials.
During the mass, the oil ring and the fishermen ring will also be presented to Leo, the Press Office saying.
The Palio, a narrow band in the form of and blank tissue and decorated with two black pendants, six black crosses and three pins that represent the crucifixion of Christ, means that the pontiff carries on his shoulders the responsibility of guiding the church.
The fishermen’s ring, a golden seal ring, symbolizes the role of the new Pope as the successor of St. Peter, a fisherman who considers himself the first church leader, according to the Vatican press office. The ring means the beginning and end of the authority of a Pope, with the ring of Francis broken ceremonially after his death. Catholics who know the Pope traditionally kiss the ring to demonstrate his respect for the Pontiff and his devotion to the Church.
The Italian Cardinal Angelo Sodano puts the ring of the fishermen, made of gold plated silver, on a finger of Pope Francis during his great inauguration mass on March 19, 2013 in the Vatican.
Alberto Pizzoli/AFP through Getty Images
Leo will then deliver a homily, followed by a prayer, called Regina Caeli, according to the Vatican. The event is expected to be approximately two hours, authorities said.
After Regina Caeli, Leo is expected to greet delegations and guests, said the Vatican.
Among the expected guests attending are vice president JD Vance, his wife Usha Vance and Secretary of State Frameal Rubio.
The newly chosen Pope Leo XIV, Robert Francis Prevost speaks from the Vatican balcony, on May 8, 2025 in the city of the Vatican, Vatican.
Marco Mantovani/Getty Images
Leo, formally Cardinal Robert Prevost, was chosen 267th Pontiff on May 8. The native of Chicago is the successor of Pope Francis, who died on April 21.
Leo began to emerge as a leader for the papacy in the days prior to the start of the conclave, according to Reverend James Martin, a papal taxpayer of ABC News.
The new Pontiff was the only Cardinal of the United States in a brief list of potential candidates for Pope, also known as “Papabiles”, compiled after Francis’s death. The Association press.
Phoebe Natanson and Christopher Watson of ABC News contributed to this report.
