On the 25th (local time), Pope Leo XIV held an enthronement ceremony at the Lateran Basilica in Rome.
The enthronement ceremony is a significant rite showing the symbolism of the pope as the bishop of the diocese of Rome, the center of the global Catholic Church. The Lateran Basilica, where the enthronement took place, is recognized as the cathedral of the diocese of Rome, regarded as the 'mother and head of all churches.'
Before the enthronement, the pope was received by Roberto Gualtieri, the mayor of Rome, at the Capitoline Hill where the Rome City Hall is located. Mayor Gualtieri noted in his welcoming remarks that 'Rome is now your city,' and added, 'Rome is committed to healing the pain across the city and the wounds of the socially marginalized.'
Pope Leo XIV responded, saying, 'I feel a heavy but exciting responsibility to serve all Roman citizens.' He added, 'For you and with you, I am a Roman.'
After the enthronement, Pope Leo XIV moved to the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome, where his predecessor Pope Francis is buried, to venerate the Virgin Mary icon known as the 'Salvation of the Roman People.'
According to the Associated Press, the pope mentioned in his noon blessing message that the previous day was 'the day of prayer for the Church in China,' urging prayers for Catholic believers in China to communicate with the Vatican.
This marks the first time Pope Leo XIV has addressed the sensitive issue of Catholic faith in China since his inauguration. China declared a rupture with the Vatican in 1951 and established the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, a government-controlled organization, in 1957 to manage Catholic faith and believers.
Pope Leo XIV said, 'Prayers were offered on this day in churches and shrines in China and around the world as a sign of supplication and affection for Chinese Catholic believers and their communion with the universal Church.'