Overview

• ZDF aired a special live broadcast, 'ZDF spezial,' from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM on May 18, covering the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in Rome.
• The ZDF-Fernsehgarten, typically airing at 12:00 PM, was delayed to 12:30 PM and featured a Eurovision Song Contest theme with Swiss artists as guests.
• RTL and ntv also adjusted their schedules, broadcasting a parallel special titled 'Willkommen Papst Leo!' from 9:45 AM to 12:05 PM.
• Prominent figures, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and US Vice President JD Vance, attended the papal inauguration, highlighting its diplomatic significance.
• Regular programming is set to resume next Sunday, with ZDF-Fernsehgarten returning to its usual 12:00 PM time slot.