Pope Leo XIV presides over a Mass within the St. John Lateran Basilica, formalizing his position as bishop of Rome in Rome on Sunday.
Gregorio Borgia/AP
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Gregorio Borgia/AP
Pope Leo XIV declared himself a Roman on Sunday, in a ceremonial step to formalizing his position as bishop of Rome.
The bishop of Rome is one in all many titles held by the pope.
On his solution to the St. John Lateran Basilica for the ultimate steps to tackle the position of bishop of Rome, the pope stopped at Piazza Venezia within the middle of Rome to fulfill with the mayor of the town, Roberto Gualtieri.
Talking earlier than a crowd, Gualtieri mentioned the town of Rome is able to accompany the pontiff “to affirm the paradigm of a brand new politics,” and ended his speech by welcoming him: “We’re blissful that Rome is now your metropolis,” as translated by Vatican Information.
The primary pope from the US responded to Gualtieri’s remarks, affirming his dedication as bishop of Rome. The pope mentioned: “At present I can say in a particular means that I’m a Roman, with and for you,” because the Vatican information service translated.
Margaret Susan Thompson, a professor of historical past at Syracuse College whose analysis focuses on faith and politics, mentioned Leo won’t be “notably concerned within the day-to-day governing or administrative accountability” as bishop of Rome. These duties are often delegated to an auxiliary or assistant bishop, generally known as a vicar, she mentioned.
Pope Leo XIV waves upon his arrival on the St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome on Sunday.
Andrew Medichini/AP
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Andrew Medichini/AP
Relating to his assertion declaring himself a Roman, Thompson mentioned it was largely “a symbolic gesture” fairly than “a press release repudiating his United States or Peruvian citizenship.”
The pope was born in Chicago and spent twenty years in Peru, the place he gained citizenship.
The assertion speaks to his “explicit sense of pastoral accountability to the individuals of Rome,” Thompson instructed NPR.
Though the present pope is the primary from the US, the final three popes earlier than him weren’t Italian both, famous Thompson. “It is not a governing assertion. It is an essential symbolic assertion and pastoral assertion.”
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