Lebanese President Joseph Aoun meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome, on May 17, 2025. (Credit: LBpresidency.)
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who flew to Rome on Saturday to attend the inauguration Mass of the new Pope Leo XIV the following day, held talks with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Baabda Palace announced.
He also held discussions with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
In a message published on the presidency's X account, Aoun emphasized that Lebanon's participation in the enthronement mass “is not a protocol, but an affirmation of the deep ties and strong relations between Lebanon and the Holy See.” “Lebanon, with its community and confessional diversity, will remain more than ever faithful to its historical mission of freedom and pluralism,” he added.
The enthronement mass of Pope Leo XIV, which will be celebrated Sunday at St. Peter's Square, will be attended by heads of state and prime ministers from many countries. During this celebration, he will receive the symbols of papal authority, from the imposition of the pallium to the presentation of the fisherman's ring.
The pallium is a white woolen ornament, 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 strong symbol of papal authority, which was once used to seal documents. It is rendered unusable after the death of each pope.