Papal ceremony: the popemobile, seal ring and engagement by Pope Leo

Papal ceremony: the popemobile, seal ring and engagement by Pope Leo

Leo XIV, the first American pope , is officially introduced on Sunday as 267. Numerous heads of state, members of the royal family and thousands of faithful are expected to this solemn ceremony.

symbolism of the fair

The service on May 18 will be rich in symbolism and will include the ceremonial handover of the official insignia to Leo, including the pallium - a vest from sheep's wool that has its pastoral responsibility for the Church symbolizes his role as a shepherd of his community-as well as the Fischer-Ring, which symbolizes the authority of the Pope as the successor of St. Petrus, who lived as a fisherman and worshiped from the Catholics as the first pope is.

prominent participants of the ceremony

Among the expected participants of the two-hour liturgy on Sunday are the US Vice President JD Vance, Foreign Minister Marco Rubio , the Ukrainian president Wolodymyr selenskyj Rel = "NOFOLLOW" TARGET = "_ blank" htf = "https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/americas/pope-peru-chiclayo-intl-latam"> Peru , Dina Boluarte, whose country Leo served as a missionary and bishop for decades. The Vatican City is received delegations from over 150 countries.

first official acts of the Pope

The 69-year-old Pope, born in Chicago, will welcome delegations from different countries after his inauguration on Sunday, as a spokesman for the Vatican announced. Although Leo was elected Pope on May 8, his official pontificate only begins on May 18, with his first general audience on May 21st.

in his first mass as a Pope on May 9, Leo asked the clergy to show humility. He repeatedly appealed for peace and explained the choice of his name. In his first speech in the Vatican after his election, he demanded peace in Ukraine and in the Gaza Strip and called: "Never again war!"

handing over the official insignia

On Sunday morning, Pope Leo will use the papamobile for the first time to greet people on St. Peter's Square before entering the basilica for the fair. In the first phase of the service, he will pray together with leading representatives of the Orthodox churches at the grave of St. Peter. The pallium, the ring and a book of the Gospels are then brought to the altar on the pitch by two members of the clergy.

The typesetting during the fair mainly focus on the figure of St. Peter and on a central section from the Gospel of John, which is the foundation for the pontificate of the new Pope. After this reading, three cardinals will hand over the official insignia.

integration of the faithful

Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, who announced the choice of Leo, will put the pallium over the new Pope. Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu from the Democratic Republic of Congo will speak a special prayer, while Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle will hand over the sigillated "Fischer-Ring" by the Philippines Leo, which has traditionally been used to seal official documents, but today has a ceremonial character.

The Vatican has published details about the ring that shows a picture of St. Peter on the outer volume, while on the inside "Leo XIV" and the coat of arms of the Pope are engraved. All bishops wear rings to show their connection to the community that they lead. The Pope's ring as Bishop of Rome symbolizes its "engagement" with the entire church.

The importance of the ceremony

After receiving the official insignia, representatives of ordinary Catholics from all over the world will show their “obedience” to the Pope, which was carried out in the past of cardinals. The decision to include non-cardinals in this part of the service reflects the pope's endeavor to deepen the commitment of the Catholics, which are not part of the hierarchy. This integration of ordinary believers in the ceremony is also an indication of Leo's endeavor to continue the reforms initiated by his predecessor, Pope Francis.

During the fair, Pope Leo will also give a speech in which he will probably outline some central themes of his pontificate, which he has previously thought about.

After the end of the fair, the Pope will lead the Regina Caeli, the "Greetings you, O queen", before hitting the international delegations in the basilica.

The ceremonies to take the pope inaugurated have changed over the years. For many centuries there was a "crowning glory" in which the papal tiara was put up with the new Pope. The last coronation found in 1963 with Paul VI. Instead of selling the Tiara and using the proceeds for charitable purposes. Catholics in the United States acquired this tiara, which today in the basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. is on display.