Pope Leo XIV arrived at his inaugural mass in a white vehcile, called for church unity in a homily, and later prayed for people suffering from war and those marginalized.

At the end of his May 18 Inauguration mass for his pontificate, the new Pope, the first from the United States, appealed for world peace.

In his Homily, the Pope expressed his desire for unity in the 1.4 billion strong Catholic Church and Christians worldwide.

"I would like our first great desire to be for a united church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a lever for a reconciled world," Leo said in his homily.

Later, he said, "In this, our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, by violence, by prejudice, by the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the world's resources and marginalizes the poor."

Pope Leo thanked the 200,000 people and many delegations attending the Eucharist and expressed his gratitude to the representatives of nations, churches, and various religions who attended his Sunday service, according to Vatican News.

Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, the moderator of the World Council of Churches, which represents more than 580 million mainly Anglican, Orthodox and Protestant Christians worldwide, and the WCC general secretary, Rev. Jerry Pillay, attended Pope Leo's inauguration mass.

"In the joy of faith and communion, we cannot forget our brothers and sisters who are suffering because of war," said Pope Leo.

He recalled that "the surviving children, families, and elderly" in Gaza have been reduced to starvation, as the Israel-Hamas war continues.

In Myanmar, noted Pope Leo, "new hostilities have cut short innocent young lives."

And, he lamented, "martyred Ukraine awaits negotiations for a just and lasting peace."

     - UKRANIAN PRESIDENT

Vatican News reported that after the Mass, Pope Leo XIV met privately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who attended the Inauguration Mass with his wife.

In his address, the Pope said he "strongly felt the spiritual presence of Pope Francis accompanying us from heaven."

As he marked the official beginning of his ministry, Pope Leo XIV invited Catholics to pray entrust his ministry to the Blessed Virgin Mary, under her titles as "Star of the Sea and Our Lady of Good Counsel."

"We implore her intercession," he concluded, "for the gift of peace, for support and comfort for those who suffer, and for the grace for all of us to witness the Risen Lord."

The Pope's inaugural mass ended with loud applause from the huge crowd at St. Peter's in Rome, who had come from around the world to see the new Catholic leader.

After the mass bells pealed out over the Vatican, crowds cheered and waved the world's flags in St. Peter's Square

The first pontiff from the United States made his debut tour of St Peter's Square on Sunday in a popemobile, greeting tens of thousands of pilgrims and well-wishers ahead of his inauguration mass.

Pope Leo, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, became the head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics on May 8.

Among other dignitaries who attended the inaugural mass were:

JD Vance, U.S. vice president

Marco Rubio, U.S. secretary of state

Mark Carney, prime minister of Canada

Anthony Albanese, prime minister of Australia

François Bayrou, prime minister of France

Isaac Herzog, president of Israel

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, president of Nigeria

Dick Schoof, prime minister of the Netherlands

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands

Prince Edward, representing the British Royal Family

Volodymyr Zelensky, president of Ukraine