With a solemn ceremony at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, Pope Leo XIV officially assumed the role of Bishop of Rome. The inauguration ceremony began in the early afternoon with a meeting between the Pope and Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, who greeted him in Piazza dell'Aracoeli, at the foot of the Capitoline Hill. "I am very grateful for your welcome," the Pope told the mayor, underlining the importance of everyone working together to benefit the community. "With you, I am a Christian; for you, I am a bishop: today I can say that for you and with you, I am Roman!". Leo XIV entered the Lateran Basilica through the Holy Door, performed Mass, and took possession of the Capitoline Chair as a symbolic gesture. The rite was attended by 25 cardinals, 25 bishops, and around 300 parish priests from the diocese. In his speech to the city, the Holy Father referenced Pope John Paul I: "I too offer you ‘the little that I have and that I am,’ and I entrust it to the intercession of Saints Peter and Paul". A message of humility and service, marking the beginning of his Roman ministry.