At inaugural mass, Pope Leo warns against exploiting nature, marginalising the poor
In a prayer after the mass, Leo noted efforts to end the Ukraine war before holding a private audience with President Volodymyr Zelensky
Pope Leo XIV set the tone for his papacy with a call to stop exploiting nature and marginalising the poor at his inaugural mass on Sunday attended by dignitaries including Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and US Vice-President J.D. Vance.
Before it started, the Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost delighted the crowds by taking to the Popemobile for the first time, smiling, waving and blessing those he passed.
In his homily, the soft-spoken 69-year-old returned to the themes of peace, reconciliation and social justice that have marked his first few days as pope.
“In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalises the poorest,” he said.