World leaders to attend major Vatican event.The inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV will take place in St Peter's Square in the Vatican on Sunday at 10.00 to formalise the new pontiff's election as leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.Around 250,000 faithful are expected to attend the new pope's inauguration Mass whose date coincides with the birthday of one of his predecessors: Pope St John Paul II. World leaders including US vice-president JD Vance, Peru president Dina Boluarte, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the papal ceremony, just over three weeks after dozens of heads of state travelled to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis. Who is going to the inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV? The inauguration rite will see Pope Leo XIV bestowed with a pallium – a lamb’s wool mantle symbolising the pontiff's pastoral care for the church and role as shepherd to his flock – and the Ring of the Fisherman, a gold signet ring symbolising the pope’s authority as the successor of St Peter and a symbol of the papacy since at least the 13th century. Leo XIV is also set to make his first appearance in the popemobile, passing through the huge crowds of pilgrims and tourists gathered in St Peter's Square. Rome police have drawn up a major security plan and are deploying more than 6,000 officers in the operation which will include snipers, anti-drone systems and helicopters. Following his inauguration Mass, Pope Leo XIV will hold his first general audience in St Peter's Square on Wednesday 21 May. For details of traffic restrictions and how to reach St Peter's Square by public transport on Sunday see Rome's city website. Photo credit: Altrendo Images / Shutterstock.com.

The inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV will take place in St Peter's Square in the Vatican on Sunday at 10.00 to formalise the new pontiff's  as leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. Around 250,000 faithful are expected to attend the new pope's inauguration Mass whose date coincides with the birthday of one of his predecessors: .  including US vice-president , Peru president Dina Boluarte, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the papal ceremony, just over three weeks after dozens of heads of state travelled to Rome for the .

• Who is going to the inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV?

The inauguration rite will see Pope Leo XIV bestowed with a pallium – a lamb’s wool mantle symbolising the pontiff's pastoral care for the church and role as shepherd to his flock – and the Ring of the Fisherman, a gold signet ring symbolising the pope’s authority as the successor of St Peter and a symbol of the papacy since at least the 13th century. Leo XIV is also set to make his first appearance in the popemobile, passing through the huge crowds of pilgrims and tourists gathered in St Peter's Square. Rome police have drawn up a major security plan and are deploying more than 6,000 officers in the operation which will include snipers, anti-drone systems and helicopters. Following his inauguration Mass, Pope Leo XIV will hold his first general audience in St Peter's Square on Wednesday 21 May. For details of traffic restrictions and how to reach St Peter's Square by public transport on Sunday see Rome's . Photo credit: Altrendo Images / Shutterstock.com.