ROME — ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV declared himself a Roman on Sunday as he accomplished the ultimate ceremonial steps cementing his position because the bishop of Rome.
The primary American pope was formally taking possession of two papal basilicas within the Everlasting Metropolis, a formality that serves to ceremonially introduce Leo to his Roman flock.
One of many many titles that Leo assumed when he was elected Could 8 was bishop of Rome. Given his obligations working the 1.4-billion robust common Catholic Church, popes delegate the day-to-day governance of working of the diocese of Roman to a vicar.
Sunday’s ceremonies on the St. John Lateran and St. Mary Main basilicas comply with Leo’s go to final week to the St. Paul Outdoors the Partitions basilica. Along with St. Peter’s Basilica within the Vatican, the 4 papal basilicas are an important basilicas within the West.
Rome’s Mayor Roberto Gualtieri welcomed Leo first on the steps to metropolis corridor, noting that his Could 8 election fell throughout a Holy Yr, an occasion occurring each 25 years to ask pilgrims to Rome. Town underwent two years of traffic-clogging public works initiatives to arrange and expects to welcome upwards of 30 million individuals in 2025.
Leo mentioned he felt the “severe however passionate duty” to serve all Romans in the course of the Holy Yr and past.
Carrying his formal papal garb, Leo recalled the phrases he had uttered from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica on the night time of his election. The Augustinian pope quoted St. Augustine in saying: “With you I’m Christian, and for you, bishop.”
“By particular title, immediately I can say that for you and with you I’m Roman!” he mentioned.
Leo, 69, the previous Robert Prevost, changed Pope Francis, the primary Latin American pope, who died April 21 and is buried at St. Mary Main, close to a beloved icon of the Madonna.
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