Today, in the Vatican, royal and political dignitaries and more than 200,000 spectators gathered in St. Peter’s Square in front of St. Peter’s Basilica to attend the inauguration mass of Pope Leo XIV. Pope Francis died in April this year. After a two-day secret meeting that ended on May 8, Pope Leo XIV was elected as the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church earlier this month.
(It is worth noting that Leo XIV, whose full name is Robert Francis Prevost, is the first American pope in the history of the Vatican. He was born in Chicago and is the 267th pope in the history of the Vatican.)
Today, many world dignitaries gathered to attend the inauguration mass of Pope Leo XIV. The mass began at 10 am local time and lasted about two hours.
Guests attending the ceremony included King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, Queen Mathilde and King Philippe of Belgium, U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Prince Edward of the United Kingdom. All guests wore stylish outfits rooted in history and tradition.
Many attendees subtly referenced Catholic dress in their sartorial choices. JD and Usha Vance both wore black for the ceremony – JD in a sophisticated black suit and Usha in a black dress and traditional lace headscarf.
(In many Catholic traditions, women wear lace veils during special Masses as a sign of humility and respect.) Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska also chose to dress head-to-toe in black, seemingly in an effort not to distract from the Mass. (It is also customary to wear black in the presence of the Pope.)
Meanwhile, Princess Charlene of Monaco (in Elie Saab), Queen Letizia of Spain, and Queen Mathilde of Belgium all wore white outfits to Mass—a privilege reserved for Catholic queens and princesses; only seven women in the world currently have the “white privilege” when meeting the pope.