Pope Leo XIV Affirms His Roman Identity Upon Ascending as Bishop of Rome

ROME – Pope Leo XIV declared himself a Roman on Sunday as he completed the final ceremonial steps cementing his role as the bishop of Rome.

The first American pope officially took control of the St. John Lateran Basilica, which serves as Rome’s cathedral and the seat of the diocese. This event was marked by an evening Mass that was attended by both Roman priests and the faithful.

Following this, he traveled in the popemobile to visit St. Mary Major, where he offered prayers at Pope Francis’ tomb and before a cherished icon of the Virgin Mary that holds a special place in the hearts of many Romans.

In his homily, Leo said he wanted to listen to them “in order to learn, understand and decide things together.”

Upon his election on May 8, Leo adopted several titles, one of which was the bishop of Rome. Although he leads the global Catholic Church, which counts 1.4 billion members, popes usually assign the routine administration of the Roman diocese to a vicar so they can focus on broader responsibilities.

Sunday’s ceremonies at the St. John Lateran and a stop at St. Mary Major basilicas follow Leo’s visit last week to the St. Paul Outside the Walls basilica. Together with St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, the four papal basilicas are the most important basilicas in the West.

Rome’s Mayor Roberto Gualtieri welcomed Leo first at the steps to City Hall, noting that his May 8 election fell during a Holy Year, an event occurring every 25 years to invite pilgrims to Rome. The city underwent two years of traffic-clogging public works projects to prepare and expects to welcome upward of 30 million people in 2025.

Leo said he felt the “serious but passionate responsibility” to serve all Romans during the Holy Year and beyond.

Wearing his formal red papal cape and brocaded stole, Leo recalled the words he had uttered from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica on the night of his election. The Augustinian pope quoted St. Augustine in saying: “With you I am Christian, and for you, bishop.”

“By special title, today I can say that for you and with you I am Roman!” Leo said.

The former Robert Prevost succeeded Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope. Francis died April 21 and is buried at St. Mary Major, near the icon of the Madonna known as the Salus Populi Romani.

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