Aoun and his wife en route to Vatican to participate in pope's enthronement

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun was en route Saturday to the Vatican, accompanied by his wife Neemat, to participate in the enthronement mass of Pope Leo XIV, which will be celebrated on Sunday at St. Peter's Square.

The solemn mass for the enthronement of the new pope, who has succeeded Francis, will be held in the presence of heads of state and prime ministers from many countries. During this celebration, he will receive the symbols of papal power, from the imposition of the pallium to the presentation of the fisherman's ring.

The pallium is an ornament woven from white wool, composed of two bands embroidered with six black crosses, worn by the pope and bishops during major celebrations. It symbolizes the unity of the Church and the pastoral role of the bishop. The fisherman's ring is another powerful symbol of papal authority, which was once used to seal documents. It is rendered unusable after the death of each pope.