News from Italy
Pope, today the pontificate of Leo XIV officially began
Today, the Petrine ministry of Pope Leo XIV started to formally. The rite of ‘enthronement’, preceded at nine by the first crowd bath in the popemobile of Pope Prevost, includes several moments of symbolic value in which the ancient ‘Petrine’ episcopal insignia stand out: the Pallium and the Fisherman’s Ring.
St. Peter’s Square hosts a historic moment: the enthronement of Pope Leo XIV. On Sunday, May 18th, 2025, Father Bob became Pope Leo XIV. He enthroned and received the Fisherman’s Ring bearing his seal as he took his place as successor to the Chair of Peter. This solemn Mass marks the formal start of his Petrine ministry.
Pope Leo, like his predecessor
The Mass, which marks the official start of Cardinal Robert Prevost’s papacy, is the most significant event at the Vatican since the funeral of his predecessor, Pope Francis, in April.
Pope Leo, like his predecessor Francis, opted for a low-key ceremony. The Pope opened the day by standing in the white popemobile specially built for him, smiling, waving to the crowd and blessing them. The Pope opened the day by standing in the white popemobile specially built for him, smiling, waving to the crowd and blessing them.
The new Pope, who greeted the crowds in a “popemobile,” chose to use a vehicle that would allow him to interact directly with the public rather than a bulletproof vehicle.
Throughout history, popes have begun their duties by being crowned with a triregnum, consisting of three crowns. However, this tradition ended in 1978 when Pope John Paul I was not crowned. Pope Leo continued in the same vein, and instead of being crowned, he began his duties with a simple inauguration ceremony. The ceremony attracted attention with its understanding of integration with the people. The liturgy followed the Order of Rites for the Inauguration of the Petrine Ministry. Pope Leo prayed at St. Peter’s tomb, kissed the altar, and led a procession. Before the Mass, he visited the tomb of St. Peter, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus and the first Pope according to Christian tradition. The tomb is under the altar in the basilica that bears his name. As the new leader of the Catholic world entered the square accompanied by cardinals, the crowd followed the ceremony on giant screens. Readings from Isaiah, 1 Peter, and John’s Gospel underscore faith, service, and unity themes.
The Pallium fisherman’s ring
The term ‘enthronement’ is a bit of a misnomer. Since 1978, popes have replaced coronations with an inaugural Mass. There are no tiaras or crowns here—just the pallium and fisherman’s ring, symbols of pastoral authority tied to St. Peter. Simplicity reflects the modern Church.
The pallium, a woollen band woven from lambs blessed on St. Agnes’ feast, represents the Pope as a shepherd. The fisherman’s ring, engraved with St. Peter’s boat, nods to his apostolic mission. These are handed over during the Mass, linking Pope Leo XIV to a 2,000-year tradition. Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle placed the ring on the Pope’s finger, whose name is mentioned among the presidential candidates. The papal ring, or ‘Fisherman’s Ring’, is a symbolic ring with special meaning for the Pope in the Catholic Church. It takes its name from the profession of St. Peter, the first Pope in Christianity: Peter was a fisherman, and Jesus told him that he would be a “fisher of men”.
The ring bears the Pope’s seal and is used to stamp official documents. The ring has a relief depicting St. Peter, who is considered the first pope by Catholics and was a fisherman by profession, casting a net into the water. For this reason, the papal ring is called the “fisherman’s ring.”
“Small leaven of unity in a time of too much discord and too many wounds”
After greeting the crowd with “a heart full of gratitude, ” Leo began his homily by recalling the “intense emotions” felt in recent weeks as a result of the death of Francis and the subsequent Conclave.
Speaking in Italian, he said: “I was chosen, without any merit of my own, and now, with fear and trembling, I come to you as a brother, who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God’s love, for he wants us all to be united in one family.”
Like his predecessor Francis, Pope Leo XIV has called for an end to the exploitation of nature and the exclusion of the poor. He stressed that the Church must be transformative in a world of hatred and division. “In today’s world, we still see too much discord, hatred, violence, prejudice, fear of difference and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and excludes the poorest,” he said.
Pope Leo XIV said he wanted the Catholic church to be a “small leaven of unity” in a time of “too much discord and too many wounds” during his inaugural papal Mass, which was attended by world leaders, including the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and the US vice president, JD Vance.
In a later passage, Leo said he wanted to preserve the Church’s rich heritage while confronting modern challenges. “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.
“We want to be a small leaven of unity, communion and fraternity within the world. We want to say to the world, with humility and joy: look to Christ. Come closer to him.”
Pope Leo’s inauguration ceremony was also meaningful in terms of international diplomacy.
Vance, who briefly met Francis in the Vatican the day before his death, and Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, represented the US on Sunday.
Other world leaders present included European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the Canadian prime minister Mark Carney and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, the Israeli president Isaac Herzog, and the Argentinian president Javier Milei. Dina Boluarte, the president of Peru, where Pope Leo served as a missionary and bishop for many years, was also one of the leaders who attended the ceremony.
Prince Edward represented the United Kingdom, while Buckingham Palace did not make a statement regarding King Charles’ absence. A similar situation had previously occurred at the funeral of Pope Francis.
Others included Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and many members of the European royal family.
Extraordinary Security Measures Taken for Sunday’s Ceremony
The Vatican is on high alert for the historic ceremony. Six thousand additional police officers, snipers, bomb disposal experts and anti-drone systems were deployed to the area for the ceremony, which 250,000 people could watch. Security was at the highest level in St. Peter’s Square throughout the ceremony.
