Among the first steps of a new papacy, the Mass for the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome holds a place of honor, as it is the first to be celebrated publicly and the moment in which the new Supreme Pontiff receives the insignia that will accompany him throughout his ministry.
Before diving into the rites and their meanings, it’s important to recall that during the first week of his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV already established his papal coat of arms and chose his motto: “In Illo uno unum,” taken from the words of the saintly founder of his religious order. Along with the pastoral pallium and the Fisherman’s Ring, the coat of arms and motto are a proclamation of the mission Pope Leo XIV embraces for the Church in this age.
The Mass for the Beginning of the Pontificate is celebrated in St. Peter’s Square and is, above all, a great act of thanksgiving—expressed by both the celebrant and the faithful—for God’s gift of a new successor to Peter, the Bishop of Rome, called to lead the universal Church in charity.
As the Church celebrates this divine action, she makes present the memory of the ministry Christ entrusted to the Apostle Peter, listening once more to the words the Lord addressed to Simon: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church,” and also: “Feed my sheep.” These words are the institution of the Petrine ministry, and when the Church repeats them, she renews the Lord’s command to Peter. What Jesus said to Peter in Caesarea Philippi and at the Lake of Tiberias is now repeated, through the Church’s liturgy, to Pope Leo XIV at the beginning of his ministry.
This celebration is also a powerful expression of God’s fidelity to His Church. It is precisely because this ministry is a gift that the beginning of the Bishop of Rome’s role must be liturgical. Through the liturgy, the Church around the world recognizes, confesses, and gives thanks to God for the gifts she receives—and this ministry is first and foremost a divine gift.
It is also worth ing that the Apostle receives the mandate to shepherd the Lord’s flock—not anyone else’s—and he receives this mandate within the Church and for the Church (in Ecclesia and propter Ecclesiam). Thus, the ministry of the Bishop of Rome begins within the ekklesia, the liturgical assembly, the highest epiphany of the Church, and the Petrine ministry, as a divine gift, is always exercised in the midst of the Church.
Now let us look at the rites specific to this day, to understand how, far from being the coronation of a king, every sign assumed by the Holy Father is above all a sign of service.
Rites of the Mass for the Beginning of the Pontificate 4w5p5e
The first part of the rite takes place at the tomb of Saint Peter. There, the new Holy Father, along with the patriarchs of the Eastern Churches, pauses in silent prayer and then incenses the tomb. A procession then begins, during which the pastoral pallium, the Fisherman’s Ring, and the Book of the Gospels are carried while the antiphon is sung: “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church…”
This moment is a celebration of the triumph of the Apostles’ martyrdom, reminding us that “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of new Christians.” As the procession begins, the choir sings the Laudes Regiae. In this hymn that exalts Christ’s Kingship, the Church prays for divine help for the mission of the Holy Father.
The Mass then continues as usual. During the penitential act, the congregation is sprinkled with holy water to recall baptism and invoke the grace of Easter joy. The Gloria is sung, and afterward, the Holy Father offers the prayer known as the collect, asking the Lord, who chose him, to make him a foundation and principle of unity in charity.
Liturgy of the Word 572n67
The readings are filled with references to Peter’s mission. The first reading, from the Acts of the Apostles (4:8–12), features Peter’s bold words after healing a sick man, proclaiming his faith in Christ’s resurrection:“Jesus is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.”
Psalm 118 praises the goodness of the Lord, and the second reading, from the First Letter of Peter (1 Pet 5:1–5, 10–11), urges the faithful to shepherd God’s flock according to His will.
The Gospel recounts Jesus’ appearance at the Sea of Tiberias and His confirmation of Peter’s mission:
“Feed my sheep.” (cf. Jn 21:15–19)
The Gospel will be proclaimed in Latin and Greek, emphasizing the unity of Christ’s Church, which breathes with both the Western and Eastern lungs.
Rite of the Imposition of the Pallium and the Fisherman’s Ring 1b1l4
The pastoral pallium is a white wool band with six black crosses, representing Christ’s wounds. It also contains three pins inserted in specific crosses. It symbolizes the lost sheep carried on the shepherd’s shoulders and represents the bishop’s pastoral mission, as well as the unity and communion of the Church.
The pallium will have been placed the night before on the tomb of Saint Peter. During the Mass, one of the cardinal deacons will say a prayer over the Holy Father, stating that Christ, the Good Shepherd, is the one who gives him this pallium, so that, as Peter’s successor, he may guide the Church’s flock and confirm his brothers in the unity of faith by the grace of the Holy Spirit. A cardinal bishop will then pronounce a prayer.
The Fisherman’s Ring 105o12
This insignia refers directly to Saint Peter, the first Pope, who was a fisherman before Jesus called him:
“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
The ring represents the authority of Peter’s successor to cast spiritual nets across the whole world.
It is moving to hear the words spoken in the rite:
“May Jesus Himself, the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, who built His Church on the Rock, give you this ring, the sign of Peter the Fisherman, to whom the Lord entrusted the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.”
The cardinal will place the ring on the Holy Father’s finger, who will then bless the people with the Book of the Gospels. After this, some representatives of the People of God will approach and make a promise of obedience to the Holy Father.
Homily and Conclusion k1861
At last, we will hear Pope Leo XIV’s first public homily, and through it, we will begin to sense what the Holy Spirit desires for the Church in this new moment in history.
The Mass then continues with the Creed, the Prayers of the Faithful, and the Eucharistic Liturgy… but it’s worth noting that all the chosen texts reflect Peter’s vocation and mission.
As already stated, this celebration marks the official beginning of the Pope’s pontificate—his mission starts in the liturgy, in the action of Christ, who gives His Body and sheds His Blood in praise to the Father. In this same spirit, the new Pope, united to Christ’s sacrifice, also becomes—borrowing the words of Saint Ignatius of Antioch—“God’s wheat,” offered “so that in the One, all may be one.”
