AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, has celebrated his inaugural mass in the Vatican's St. Peter's Square. He spoke before tens of thousands of people and foreign delegations, including Vice President JD Vance. Pope Leo promised to safeguard traditional teachings of the Catholic Church, helping it to address modern challenges.
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POPE LEO XIV: (Non-English language spoken).
RASCOE: Pope Leo said he comes with fear and trembling, desiring to be a servant of faith, walking with the faithful on the path of God's love. NPR's Ruth Sherlock was in St. Peter's Square earlier as he arrived for the ceremony.
RUTH SHERLOCK, BYLINE: Pope Leo XIV is making his way through this crowd in his first ride in his popemobile. Tens of thousands of people have come out to greet him. He's waving at the crowds, standing, smiling. And he's making his way up to St. Peter's Basilica for his inaugural mass. And here he comes.
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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #1: Here he comes.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON #2: He's right behind you.
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SHERLOCK: Surrounded by his cardinals, the first pope from the United States processed up the aisle of St. Peter's Basilica. The gold fisherman's signet ring was placed on his finger, and he donned the white woolen pallium liturgical dress before emerging for a service marked by prayers and song.
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UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: (Singing in non-English language).
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LEO XIV: (Non-English language spoken).
SHERLOCK: In his homily, Pope Leo expressed his desire for a united church as an influence for a reconciled world.
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LEO XIV: (Non-English language spoken).
SHERLOCK: He echoed the focus of the papacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis, criticizing the global economic system that he said exploits the earth's resources and marginalizes the poorest.
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LEO XIV: (Non-English language spoken).
SHERLOCK: This mass marks the ceremonial beginning of Pope Leo's papacy, but in reality, he's already gotten to work. In the last few days, Pope Leo has made several speeches that have started to shape the pope that he wants to be.
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UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: (Singing in non-English language)
SHERLOCK: Joel McMichael, a seminarian from Texas here in Rome, says he's been moved by the emphasis Leo has placed on the benefits but also the perils of artificial intelligence.
JOEL MCMICHAEL: I'm hopeful for - he's wanting to address issues of media and AI and these kind of things. He seems - that's an important thing.
SHERLOCK: It's the reason Robert Prevost chose the name Leo for his papacy. The last Pope Leo served during the Industrial Revolution at the end of the 19th century. Prevost says the rise of AI is forcing another dangerous social shift.
MCMICHAEL: In seeing, how do we do this in an ethical, moral and just way.
SHERLOCK: Francesca Montarulli from southern Italy says she's been displeased with the pope's early comments on marriage.
FRANCESCA MONTARULLI: (Non-English language spoken).
SHERLOCK: Leo has defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
MONTARULLI: (Non-English language spoken).
SHERLOCK: "I think God loves everyone indiscriminately, be they gay or any other kind of person," Montarulli says, hoping for someone with a more liberal interpretation of doctrine.
Melissa Hale, who lives in Atlanta, Georgia, agrees with Montarulli.
MELISSA HALE: We are very hopeful that Pope Leo will be able to take the church forward into the future.
SHERLOCK: But she says she's excited about Leo's focus on trying to end conflicts. She hopes this will define Pope Leo's papacy and the future of the church.
Ruth Sherlock, NPR News, Vatican City. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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