On May 18, Pope Leo XIV officially ascended the throne after the enthronement ceremony. About this informs service to the Vatican.
During the ceremony, the new pontiff was presented with two key symbols of his ministry – a pallium and a fisherman’s ring. The pallium, made of wool, is a liturgical element that embodies the Pope’s concern for the faithful and symbolizes the pastoral mission – like the image of a shepherd carrying a lost sheep. It also reminds of the Gospel scene, when the apostle Peter assured Christ three times of his devotion, accepting the task of “shepherding” His sheep. The Fisherman’s Ring refers to the apostle Peter as a fisherman who, at the command of Jesus, cast his net and caught an extraordinary catch – a symbol of the spiritual mission of the Pope.
Tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, including world leaders, including President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi together with First Lady Olena Zelenskaya. During the solemn mass, the newly elected pontiff delivered a message about unity.
In his homily, Leo XIV stated that he seeks to serve the faithful through the two key dimensions of the papal mission — love and unity:
“I would like our first great desire to be the unity of the Church, a sign of unity and communion, which will become a guarantee for a reconciled world.”
During the Regina Coeli prayer, the Pope mentioned Ukraine, using the word “tortured” – this is the same expression that the late Pope Francis used earlier when he spoke about the war unleashed by Russia.
