Pope Leo XIV broke huge security protocol as he arrived in popemobile at inauguration

Earlier today, Pope Leo XIV was greeted by heads of state, international royals and worshippers in their tens of thousands as he marked the official start of his papacy with the inaugural mass.

The pontiff - born Robert Francis Prevost - could also be seen greeting crowds ahead of the mass in his iconic popemobile, making sure that he was as visible as possible to the thousands of catholic devotees who lined the streets.

As dozens more tuned in online and from their TVs, Pope Leo XIV could be seen riding through the crowds in his open top vehicle and blessing infants as he made his way to St Peter's Square.

The decision to be so close to his followers certainly made him appear more human, but also put him in danger.

Pope Leo XIV greeted crowds from his popemobile ahead of the inaugural mass (Riccardo De Luca/Anadolu via Getty Images)

What is the popemobile — and what was the significance of Pope Leo XIV's first ride?

The popemobile - yes that is it's real name - is a specially designed vehicle which allows a pontiff to interact with attendees during papal visits. Various forms having been in use since 1930, when Pope Pius XI was gifted a Mercedes-Benz Nürburg 460 Pullman decked out with silk carpeting and embossed doves .

However, later vehicles were remodelled with the much more practical additions of bulletproof glass and heavy armour in the 1980s after an assassination attempt against former pontiff, Pope John Paul II.

During a procession through St Peter's Square on 13 May 1981, Pope John Paul II was shot by gunman Mehmet Ali Ağca.

The hitman had made threats against the late pontiff as dating as far back as 1979, threatening to shoot the Polish pope if he did not cancel his visit to Turkey.

Pope John Paul II moments after an assassination attempt (Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Pope John Paul II would survive the attempt on his life, however, Vatican officials deemed it necessary to have subsequent popemobiles fitted with bulletproof glass to prevent further attacks.

However, the pope isn't required to use the additional security measures, with Pope Leo XIV's predecessor Pope Francis having a dislike for the bulletproof glass.

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Speaking about the security feature in 2014, the late pontiff told Spanish media that sitting behind the glass felt like being in a 'sardine can' and meant that he was separate from his followers.

And it would seem that - for this event at least - Pope Leo XIV has decided to follow suit in making sure he's accessible to worshippers, despite security risks.

Bulletproof glass or not, it's highly likely that Pope Leo XIV was extremely safe during his ride through the streets, given the fact that dozens of world leaders were also in attendance at the event.