President Bola Tinubu has met with the newly inaugurated head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, on Sunday following a solemn inauguration mass held at St. Peter’s Square, Vatican Citizen.

The event marked the official beginning of the papacy of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, who was elected as the Bishop of Rome and spiritual leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.

President Tinubu was among several world leaders present for the inauguration.

After the Mass, he briefly exchanged pleasantries with the pontiff, engaging in a short conversation as they shook hands.

Other dignitaries who greeted the Pope included U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, among others.

Pope Leo XIV set the tone for his papacy on Sunday with a call to stop exploiting nature and marginalising the poor.

“In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalises the poorest,” he said.