Pope Leo XIV holds inaugural mass at St Peter’s Square

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and JD Vance among 150,000 present as Leo says he wants Catholic church to be leaven of unity'

Pope Leo XIV said he wanted the Catholic church to be a small leaven of unity" in a time of too much discord and too many wounds", during his inaugural papal mass attended by world leaders including the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and the US vice-president, JD Vance.

Calling for more love and unity, Leo said the church's true authority" was the charity of Christ. He said: It is never a question of capturing others by force, by religious propaganda or by means of power. Instead, it is always and only a question of loving as Jesus did."