Pope Leo XIV is officially opening his pontificate in a ceremony Sunday that blends ancient ritual, evocative symbols and a nod to modern-day celebrity, all in front of the presidents, princes and tens of thousands of people expected to pack St. Peter’s Square to celebrate history’s first American pope.
Leo will start the day by taking his first tour through the piazza in the popemobile. The open-topped vehicle has become synonymous with the papacy’s global reach and mediatic draw, used at home and abroad to bring popes close to their flock.
