Pope Leo XIV takes over Bischofskirche: celebrations in Rome!

Pope Leo XIV takes over Bischofskirche: celebrations in Rome!

Rom, Italien - On May 25, 2025, Pope Leo XIV will take over his bishop's church in Rome at 5:00 p.m., a historic moment for the Roman Catholic Church. The solemn service takes place in the important lateran basilica, which until the 14th century served as the headquarters of the popes. Leo XIV, who was elected as the first head of the Roman Catholic Church on May 8, will take a seat during the service on the Roman bishopric. This happens only shortly after its official inauguration on May 18, 2025, which took place on St. Peter's Square in front of around 200,000, such as Tagesschau

At his introduction, Leo XIV received the golden fishing ring from Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, a symbol of his role as a "human fisherman" in the Christian faith. In his first speech, he encouraged the believers to live as "brother and servant of faith and joy". It was particularly noteworthy that after his speech in the papamobile, Leo XIV drove through the crowd, which caused both enthusiasm and initial skepticism about the US Pope.

introduction and expectations

The new Pope expressed that it was selected without earnings and regarded the church as a sourdough for unity and community. Delegations from all over the world, including Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj, were also present. Merz confirmed that he spoke with various heads of state on current topics, including topics of interreligious dialogue.

On the evening of May 25, Leo XIV will visit the grave of his predecessor Francis in the basilica Santa Maria Maggiore to pray there. Francis died in the Vatican on April 21st.

The role of Papalism

The history of the papacy, which extends from late antiquity to the present, sees Popste in the successor of the apostle Simon Peter. This tradition has developed over centuries, with the popes increasingly becoming political and cultural power. In the Middle Ages, especially during the church reform movements, the role of papacy was strengthened. The departure to the importance of the infallibility of the Pope was consolidated in the first Vatican Council in 1870. wikipedia documents this development and the resulting conflicts with secular rulers.

The office of Leo XIV not only marks a new section in the history of the church, but also representative of the challenges that the modern world places in the faith and institution of the papacy.