Vatican City, May 20 – Pope Leo XIV met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday following his inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square, where the newly installed pontiff called for peace, unity, and dialogue in a world fractured by war and division.
Leo, the first American to lead the Roman Catholic Church, used his first sermon as pope to urge reconciliation both within the Church and globally. “I would like that our first great desire be for a united church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world,” he told an estimated 200,000 pilgrims.
Following the Mass, Zelenskyy praised the Vatican’s readiness to serve as a platform for direct peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia. “We thank the Vatican for its willingness to serve as a platform for direct negotiations… We are ready for dialogue in any format for the sake of tangible results,” Zelenskyy posted on X. The Vatican has not yet issued a statement on the meeting.
The 69-year-old pope, born in Chicago and a former missionary in Peru, succeeds the late Pope Francis. He inherits a deeply divided Church, with tensions between conservative and liberal factions. In a nod to both unity and tradition, Leo pledged to protect “the rich heritage of the Christian faith” while urging a break from autocratic leadership styles.
“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,” he said.
Leo also addressed ongoing global conflicts, praying for victims in Ukraine and Gaza. He described Ukraine as “martyred” and lamented that Palestinians were being “reduced to starvation”.
The installation Mass was attended by a host of global dignitaries, including the presidents of Israel, Peru, and Nigeria; the prime ministers of Italy, Canada, and Australia; German Chancellor Friedrich Merz; and Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia.
The U.S. delegation was led by Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic who has previously clashed with Pope Francis over immigration. Vance shook hands with Zelenskyy at the ceremony, marking a more cordial moment compared to their tense February encounter with former President Donald Trump at the White House.
Pope Leo XIV, who said he assumed the role “with fear and trembling,” begins his papacy with a clear focus on healing, both within the Church and across global divisions.
