The Vatican is preparing for a historic occasion as Pope Leo XIV, the first American ever elected to the papacy, will be officially inaugurated on Sunday. The inauguration Mass will take place in St Peter's Square, Vatican City, at 10 am CET. According to Vatican News, tens of thousands of people, including world leaders, royalty, and clergy, are expected to attend the ceremony.

Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected on May 8 after a brief conclave. Born in Chicago and having spent many years in Peru, he will now assume leadership of the Roman Catholic Church, which counts 1.4 billion followers worldwide.

The Vatican has released a list of international dignitaries expected to attend the inaugural Mass:

• Albania: President Bajram Bega
• Armenia: President Vahagn Khachaturyan
• Australia: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
• Austria: Chancellor Christian Stocker
• Belgium: King Philippe, 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, 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, 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, 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

(With Reuters inputs)