Pope Leo XIV has completed the final ceremonial steps to formalizing his role as the Bishop of Rome.
The pontiff formally took possession of the St. John Lateran Basilica, Rome’s cathedral and the seat of the diocese, on Sunday where he later conducted an evening Mass.
On his way to the Basilica, Pope Leo XIV met up with the mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, where he discussed his pride in formalizing his title.
“We are happy that Rome is now your city,” Gualtieri told the pontiff, according to Vatican News.
“Today I can say in a special way that I am a Roman, with and for you,” the pope replied.
The Bishop of Rome is one of the many titles that Pope Leo XIV was bestowed when he was elected by the College of Cardinals earlier this month. However, due to the volume of responsibility that comes with leading the Catholic Church, the day-to-day administrative tasks of running the diocese of Rome are typically bestowed to a vicar, or assistant bishop.
The pontiff was born Robert Prevost in Chicago in 1955. He has held dual U.S. and Peruvian citizenship for the past decade, having served as a missionary and bishop across the two countries. He notably is the first U.S.-born leader of the Catholic Church.
Following his election on May 8, the pontiff’s personal politics were put under national spotlight. His digital footprint revealed at the time that he was in disagreement with the Trump administration on notable policies like immigration.
Pope Leo XIV is also said to have been “respected” by the late Pope Francis who “thought of him very highly,” according to CNN Vatican correspondent Christopher Lamb.
“Clearly Pope Francis saw in him something,” Lamb said in a report published earlier this month. Francis had appointed Leo as a cardinal in 2023 and assigned him the Diaconate of Saint Monica. “He saw him as a capable leader.”
