President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican in Rome, marking a significant moment in international relations and religious diplomacy. The brief encounter occurred after the installation mass formally commencing the pontificate of the 267th leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
9am News report confirms that Tinubu was among several global dignitaries who attended the high-profile inauguration in St. Peter’s Square, where the new pope — formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost received the pontifical emblems, including the fisherman’s ring and pallium, symbolizing his authority and spiritual mission.
During the ceremony, Pope Leo XIV shook hands with numerous world leaders, including U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Video footage shared by Channels Television showed Tinubu warmly greeting the new pontiff and exchanging a few words before moving along the line of dignitaries.
Pope Leo XIV, aged 69, is seen as a figure who may bring both continuity and reform to the Catholic Church. With two decades of missionary experience in Peru, he has repeatedly voiced support for social justice, environmental protection, and peace amid global conflict.
In recent meetings with journalists, clergy, and diplomats, the pope emphasized traditional Catholic values, including the sanctity of life and the family unit built around a union between a man and a woman. He also defended the rights of the unborn and called for more humane approaches to global migration policies.
His papacy begins at a time when the Church continues to grapple with the lingering effects of the clerical child abuse scandal, institutional reform, and a growing call to adapt to modern realities.
The pope’s inauguration has generated excitement in the United States, where Leo XIV is viewed favorably among traditional Catholics. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a fellow Catholic, also represented the American delegation at the event.
While Leo’s past social media activity including criticism of former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies and earlier jabs at J.D. Vance — has raised eyebrows, the account is now inaccessible, signaling a more reserved tone for his papacy.
Although the mass lacked a traditional coronation a practice discontinued since Pope Paul VI in 1963 it retained its grand symbolism. The pope’s visit to Saint Peter’s tomb, the ceremonial blessing, and the formal procession into the square all highlighted the spiritual weight of the occasion.
After the mass, Pope Leo XIV greeted global delegations, though it remains unclear whether any leader, including President Tinubu, was granted a private audience.
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