Pope Leo XIV , history’s first American pope, vowed Sunday to work for unity so that the Catholic Church becomes a sign of peace in the world, offering a message of communion during an inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square before an estimated 200,000 pilgrims, presidents, patriarchs and princes.

Video above: A glimpse of Pope Leo XIV's historical inauguration Advertisement

Leo officially opened his pontificate by taking his first popemobile tour through the piazza, a rite of passage that has become synonymous with the papacy’s global reach and mediatic draw. The 69-year-old Augustinian missionary smiled and waved from the back of the truck, and stopped to bless some babies in the crowd.

During the Mass, Leo appeared to choke up when the two potent symbols of the papacy were placed on

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