Pope Leo XIV celebrated Palm Sunday before tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's Square, as he opened his first Holy Week as pontiff that for many people recalled the final, suffering days of Pope Francis’ life.
The celebration began with a procession of cardinals, bishops, priests and laypeople walking into the square carrying olive branches and palm fronds, some intricately braided. They stopped at the central obelisk, where Leo delivered an opening prayer, and then processed toward the altar to begin the Mass.
