At his inaugural Mass, Pope Leo XIV urged the "rejection of hatred and division." He called for a rejection of economic policies that "exploit Earth’s resources and marginalize the poorest."
NBC News reported there were more than "200,000 people in and around St. Peter's Square, including over 150 international delegations, headed by monarchs, presidents and prime ministers."
Pope Leo personally invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife to his inaugural Mass. Catholic Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio attended the service.
Pope Leo's Contrast to Trump
The American-born leader of the Catholic Church is a big contrast to President Trump. The Daily Beast reported on one portion of Pope Leo's first official Mass:
“In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest."
The outlet reported Pope Leo's words as a "jab" at Donald Trump, but is it? Maybe the first pope from the Augustine order wants people to treat others fairly.
MSNBC noted that "The Augustinian order encourages setting aside your own needs to engage with the world."
Pope Leo Offers Peace Talks at the Vatican
After Vladimir Putin didn't show up at the peace talks in Turkey, Pope Leo offered to host a Ukraine-Russia meeting at the Vatican. Politico Europe reported that the Vatican's chief diplomat called Putin's no-show "tragic."
The Vatican historically maintains diplomatic neutrality, but Pope Leo XIV wants to make “every effort” to foster dialogue to end wars, per EuroNews.
The outlet reported that the new pope made clear that he stands with Ukraine. Pope Leo's first phone call as a world leader was to President Zelenskyy on May 12.
During Pope Leo's inaugural Mass, he said:
“I carry in my heart the sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian people...Let everything possible be done to achieve genuine, just and lasting peace as soon as possible. May all the prisoners be freed, and may the children return to their families.”
ABC News noted that when Pope Leo was a bishop serving in Peru, he called Russia's war an “imperialist invasion."
