The Vatican said some 200,000 people attended the Mass at St. Peter’s Square, which marked the start of the pontificate of the first American to lead the Roman Catholic Church. Vice President JD Vance was among the dignitaries.

Jewish leaders got front seats at Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration Mass. An American rabbi there, and other Jewish representatives, saw that and other gestures from Leo as hopeful signs for upswing of Catholic-Jewish relations under the first U.

Pope Leo XIV will formally take up his role as leader of the global Catholic Church on Sunday, with a Mass in St. Peter's Square that will draw tens of thousands of well-wishers, including dozens of world leaders and European royalty.