Pope Leo XIV stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Square on Palm Sunday and into the global spotlight, presiding over Mass that officially opened his first Holy Week as pontiff. Tens of thousands of pilgrims and Romans packed the square as cardinals, bishops, priests, and lay faithful processed with palm fronds and olive branches. For many in the crowd, the scene - and the new pope’s gestures - stirred memories of the final public days of Pope Francis.
The liturgy began with a solemn procession that paused at the square’s central obelisk, where Leo offered an opening prayer before moving toward the main altar, as reported by Associated Press. Witnesses in the square pointed out intricately braided palms, tight security, and an air of careful choreography as Vatican staff readied the ceremony.
Vatican's Holy Week Schedule
According to the Vatican press office, the official Holy Week calendar has Leo XIV presiding over the Triduum, including the Holy Thursday feet-washing ritual at the Basilica of St. John Lateran and the Good Friday Way of the Cross at the Colosseum. The schedule also notes he will baptize new Catholics during the late-night Easter Vigil and deliver the traditional Easter Sunday blessing from the basilica loggia.
Echoes of Francis' Final Days
The Holy See formally recorded that Francis "died at 7:35 a.m. on 21/04/2025" after suffering a stroke. Massimiliano Strappetti, the late pope’s longtime nurse, later told Vatican Media that Francis said "Thank you for bringing me back to the square" shortly before his condition worsened, according to Vatican statements. That final remark has lingered over the same cobblestones where Leo now leads his first Holy Week.
An American Pontiff
Leo XIV - born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago - became the first U.S.-born pope when he was elected in May 2025, a milestone examined by National Geographic. His American background and years of ministry in Latin America have shaped expectations about how he might blend a pastor’s touch with the Vatican’s often delicate diplomatic role.
What Comes Next
This Holy Week now doubles as an early stress test for Leo’s leadership, as he shifts from parish visits and international trips into the most closely watched liturgies on the Catholic calendar. With the Easter Vigil, the Good Friday rites at the Colosseum, and the Urbi et Orbi blessing still ahead, Vatican-watchers say the coming days are likely to set the tone for a young papacy already carrying a heavy sense of continuity - and expectation.
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