Next Sunday, May 25, VI Domingo de Easter, Pope Leo XIV will preside over a Mass in the Basilica of San Juan de Letán at 5:00 p.m., in which he will take possession of the chair of the Bishop of Rome.
The ceremony marks a fundamental step at the beginning of its pontificate, since the Pope is not only the successor of St. Peter and pastor of the Universal Church, but also the bishop of the Diocese of Rome.
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As Father Juan José Silvestre, professor of liturgy at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarra, this solemn celebration explained to ACI Press “characterizes the Holy Father or rather remember that he is the Bishop of Rome”.
The taking of possession of the chair in San Juan de Letán – which is the Cathedral of Rome and not the Basilica of San Pedro – has a deep ecclesial and symbolic meaning. “When sitting in the Lettera chair, the Pope formally assumes his episcopal ministry as a spiritual guide of the Roman people, in continuity with the ancient apostolic tradition,” says Fr. Silvestre.
“In the same way as a bishop when he is appointed he has a period of two months to take possession of his cathedral, his headquarters, because the Pope also, as bishop, will be received by the Cabildo of the Cathedral and, once already sitting in his chair of San Juan de Letrán, of the diocese of Rome, he will receive the manifestation of obedience, of respect, of a representation of the diocese of Rome,” sense.
This rite underlines the local dimension of the Petrino Ministry, rooted in a specific community, the Church of Rome, from where the Universal Communion Service is exercised. San Juan de Letán, known as the “mother and head of all the churches of the city and the world,” is the Pope’s episcopal headquarters for being the first Christian basilica built after the peace of Constantine in the fourth century.
The May 25 ceremony will be open to the faithful of the Diocese of Rome, to representatives of various parishes, movements and religious institutes, and the presence of civil authorities is also expected.
Victoria Cardiel
Victoria Cardiel is a journalist specialized in social and religious information issues. Since 2013, he has covered all the news of the Vatican for various media, such as the Spanish news agency Europa Press, or the weekly of the Archdiocese of Madrid, Alfa and Omega.