Cardinal Onaiyekan Unveils How Pope XIV ‘ll Be Inaugurated Today In Rome
BY PATRICK WEMAMBU
Over a quarter of a million people from nooks and crannies of the world are expected to gather at the St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City, Rome this Sunday to witness the Papal Mass slated for 10am local time (6pm Sunday, AEST) where Pope Leo XIV will be inaugurated.
A liturgical event that will mark the pontificate of His Holiness – the official beginning of his ministry as successor of Peter and Bishop of Rome – the event is expected to attract a uniquely large number of world leaders, dignitaries and religious figures.
The Mass will be streamed by Vatican Media and broadcast by major networks across Europe, North America, and Australia.
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How will the inauguration unfold? What key symbols and rituals should individuals watch out for? In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Times yesterday, His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Emeritus Archbishop of Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja gave a low down on what to expect.
“The inauguration is a formal event which is not as grand as the inauguration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu or Buhari. No. It’s only Pope Leo XVI’s inauguration as the Bishop of Rome. There will be a Holy Mass at St. Peter’s Square to be celebrated by His Holiness with many Cardinals and Bishops concelebrating. I expect St. Peter’s Square to be full but not as full as when Pope Francis was buried.
“I got an invitation to the event but I couldn’t make it – having just returned from his election. According to tradition, every country that has diplomatic ties with the Holy See should attend the event. I hear our President (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) is attending. This is good. The ceremony will feature several symbolic moments rooted in centuries of Catholic Church tradition.”
After the proclamation of the Gospel, we are told the act of obedience and fidelity of the universal Church to the new Pope follows. A group of representatives of the people of God – express their reverence, obedience and ecclesial communion – unlike in the past where the College of Cardinals performed the task. This is after the presentation of the pallium and the fisherman’s ring to the celebrant. Then Pope Leo XVI will deliver his homily.
Asked why he is not in Rome to grace the occasion, Cardinal Onaiyekan replied; “I got an invitation to the event but I couldn’t make it. I was present during the burial of Pope Francis and stayed back for the election of Pope Leo XVI – even though I didn’t participate in the Conclave. Many of us stayed back for the meeting of the Cardinals. In as much as he accepted his election, the Pope has already started carrying out the functions of his Office.”
On how the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) can leverage the familiarity of Pope Leo XVI with Nigeria to elicit foreign assistance in the fight against Christian persecution and terrorism in the nation, Cardinal Onaiyekan charged that the Bishop of Rome is a religious figure and not a political power.
Said he; “He’s familiar with Nigeria to the extent that he came to the country as an Augustinian Father years ago. I didn’t even have any opportunity to meet with him then. He came as the Superior-General of the Augustinian Order all over the world. He is a universal pastor of the Church.
“He can only show some interest in our affairs. However, there are other countries like South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo which have worse cases of terrorism than Nigeria. Therefore, you cannot say because he’s been to Nigeria, he should show special interest here.”
The Sunday Times recalls that Leo, formally Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected the 267th pontiff on May 8. The Chicago native is the successor of Pope Francis, who died on April 21. Leo started to emerge as a front-runner for the papacy in the days before the start of the conclave, according to the Rev. James Martin, a papal contributor to ABC News.
The new pontiff was the only U.S. Cardinal on a short list of potential candidates for pope, also known as “papabiles,” compiled in the aftermath of Francis’ death by The Associated Press.
Guests expected to attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XVI today include JD Vance, U.S. vice president; Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State; Mark Carney, prime minister of Canada;
and Anthony Albanese, prime minister of Australia and François Bayrou, prime minister of France.
Others are 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;
and Volodymyr Zelensky, president of Ukraine (attendance pending).
