A group of Tongan Catholics who travelled to Rome for Pope Leo XIV’s election visited significant religious sites in the Vatican, where early apostles and martyrs made history.
Among the sacred locations was the prison where Saint Paul was held before his execution, offering the pilgrims a profound connection to the roots of their faith.
Livestreamed videos shared on the Facebook pages of Ekitino Vaiangina and Malia Lanumata show Fr Dr Tupouniua Tūtoe guiding the Tongan pilgrims.
The Tongans were part of a larger pilgrimage group that arrived before the papal inauguration.
Through Facebook posts, they described how these sacred sites deepened their spiritual connection.
Inauguration
Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration on Sunday is expected to draw a massive crowd, with over 250,000 people filling St. Peter’s Square.
The ceremony, during which the new pontiff receives the pallium and the fisherman’s ring, will also provide hints about his leadership style.
Vatican observers note that small changes in tradition, like Pope Francis’ decision to ride in an open-top jeep, can signal the direction of the papacy.
Father Francesco Giordano, a professor of theology at the Catholic University of America in Rome said: “Francis was more out there, Leo is more shy and reserved.”
Father Giordano describes the new pontiff as “warm, attentive, and a good listener.”
He sees him as a combination of the previous popes, combining the charisma and emotional expressiveness of John Paul II, the intellectual depth of Benedict XVI, and Francis’s focus on social justice.
World leaders, including royalty, presidents, and prime ministers, will attend the event, underscoring the Vatican’s enduring influence.
As Tongan pilgrims reflect on their spiritual experience, the Catholic world eagerly awaits Pope Leo XIV’s first steps in guiding the Church’s future.
Here is the list of World Leaders who will attend the inauguration:
ALBANIA – President Bajram Bega
ARMENIA – President Vahagn Khachaturyan
AUSTRALIA – Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
AUSTRIA – Chancellor Christian Stocker
BELGIUM – King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Prime Minister Bart De Wever
BRITAIN – Prince Edward
BULGARIA – Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov
CANADA – Prime Minister Mark Carney
COLOMBIA – President Gustavo Petro
CROATIA – Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic
ECUADOR – President Daniel Noboa
EUROPEAN UNION – Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
FRANCE – Prime Minister Francois Bayrou
GABON – President Brice Oligui Nguema
GERMANY – Chancellor Friedrich Merz
GEORGIA – President Mikheil Kavelashvili
HUNGARY – President Tamas Sulyok
ITALY – President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
IRELAND – President Michael D. Higgins
ISRAEL – President Isaac Herzog
LATVIA – Prime Minister Evika Silina
LEBANON – President Joseph Aoun
LITHUANIA – President Gitanas Nauseda
LUXEMBOURG – Prime Minister Luc Frieden
MALTA – Prime Minister Robert Abela
MONACO – Prince Albert and his wife Princess Charlene
MOROCCO – Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch
NETHERLANDS – Queen Maxima, Prime Minister Dick Schoof
NIGERIA – President Bola Tinubu
PARAGUAY – President Santiago Pena
PERU – President Dina Boluarte
POLAND – President Andrzej Duda
PORTUGAL – President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
SERBIA – Prime Minister Djuro Macut
SLOVENIA – Prime Minister Robert Golob
SLOVAKIA – President Peter Pellegrini
SPAIN – King Felipe and Queen Letizia
SWITZERLAND – President Karin Keller-Sutter
TOGO – President Faure Gnassingbe
UKRAINE – President Volodymyr Zelenskiy
UNITED STATES – Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio
