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Source: Anglican Communion News Service
As Pope Leo’s words floated over St Peter’s Square today, a call to unity, peace and mission were major themes in his inauguration message.
He appealed for a united Church, to be “a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world”. He also encouraged the faithful to “Look to Christ! Come closer to him…” and to “Listen to his offer of love and become his one family: in the one Christ, we are one.”
It was a message of hope and encouragement, received well by the thousands gathered for the inauguration Mass, which took place in St Peter’s Basilica and St Peter’s Square.
Representatives of world Christian Communions and faith groups attended, including a delegation of Anglican Primates and leaders from around the Anglican Communion. The delegation was led by the Most Revd Leonard Dawea, Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Melanesia.
The ecumenical groups sat in front of St Peter’s Basilica, where many political leaders and dignitaries from around world were present, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Britain’s Prince Edward, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian and Italian leaders Mark Carney and Giorgia Meloni.
Alongside the Anglican delegation lead Archbishop Leonard, other Primates on the Anglican delegation included the Most Revd and Rt Hon Stephen Cottrell (Archbishop of York and Primate of England), the Most Revd John McDowell (Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland and a member of the Primates’ Standing Committee), the Most Revd Sean Rowe (Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church) and the Most Revd Thabo Makgoba (Archbishop of Cape Town and Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa).
Other Anglican leaders also joined the delegation, including Cannon Maggie Swinson (the Chair of the Anglican Consultative Council), the Rt Revd Anthony Poggo (the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion) and Kathleen Snow, (the Worldwide President of Mothers’ Union).
The Anglican delegation attended to represent the prayers and support of Anglicans around the world for Pope Leo and to embody the commitment of the Anglican Communion to dialogue and collaboration with the Catholic Church.
The delegation incorporated many clergy that contribute to Anglican-Catholic ecumenical dialogue. This included The Rt Revd Anthony Ball (Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Representative to the Holy See); the Rt Revd Graham Tomlin, Chair of the Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order and Canon Dr Christopher Wells (Director of Unity, Faith and Order, Anglican Communion Office).
The delegation was hosted by the Anglican Centre in Rome who worked closely with the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity at the Vatican in facilitating the Anglican delegation’s presence at Pope Leo’s inauguration.
The rite for the Inauguration of Leo XIV
The rite for the Inauguration of the Petrine Ministry of Leo XIV was a joyful occasion. It marked the official beginning of Pope Leo’s pontificate, as he becomes the new Bishop of Rome, the successor of the Apostle Peter and therefore Pastor of the Catholic Church. The rite features several moments of symbolic meaning. Pope Leo was presented with the pallium and fisherman’s ring. These are episcopal insignia associated with Peter.
The pallium is a liturgical vestment made from the wool of lambs. It evokes the image of the Good Shepherd who lays the lost sheep on his shoulders, and recalls Peter’s threefold response to the Risen Lord’s call to tend His lambs and sheep.
The Ring of the Fisherman has the specific significance of a signet ring, representing the seal of faith entrusted to Peter to strengthen his brethren. It is called the “Ring of the Fisherman” because Peter, having believed in Jesus’ word, drew the nets ashore from the boat in the miraculous catch of fish.
Pope Leo’s Message: “A church that opens its arms to the world and is made restless by history”
As Pope Leo addressed those gathered in St Peter’s Square, he appealed for a united Church, to be “a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world”, and described a time in which “we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalises the poorest.”
He encouraged the faithful to “Look to Christ! Come closer to him…” and to “Listen to his offer of love and become his one family: in the one Christ, we are one.” His message also called for a missionary Church that “opens its arms to the world, proclaims the word, allows itself to be made ‘restless’ by history, and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity. Together, as one people, as brothers and sisters, let us walk towards God and love one another.”
