The meaning of the papal symbols at the Mass to Inaugurate Pope Leo's pontificate May 18, 2025

On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV will celebrate the Holy Mass for the beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome. At this Mass, the pope celebrates the imposition of the Pallium and the giving of the Fisherman’s ring. What do these symbols mean? Read below.

Table of Contents

The meaning of the papal symbols

The Pallium for the Pope

The Pallium for the Pope, in its new form that echoes the original, is woven of the wool of lambs and sheep. It bears imprinted in red five crosses. It recalls the Good Shepherd (cf. Jn. 10:11), who places the lost sheep on his own shoulders (cf. Lk. 15:4-7), and also the threefold loving response to the request made by the risen Jesus to Peter to shepherd his lambs and sheep (cf. Jn. 21:15-17).

The Fisherman’s Ring

Since the first millennium, the ring has been the bishop’s proper insignia. The Ring, which is being given to the new Pope today, called the Ring of the Fisherman, with the image-seal of St. Peter and the boat with the net, has the special meaning of the ring-seal that authenticates faith and signifies the task entrusted to Peter to confirm his brothers (cf. Luke 22:32). It is called the “Fisherman’s” ring because Peter is the fisherman Apostle (cf. Mt 4:18-19; Mk 1:16-17) who, having had faith in the word of Jesus (cf. Lk 5:5), from the boat drew ashore the nets of the miraculous catch (cf. Jn 21:3-14).

One note. There are articles suggesting that the cost of this ring is over $500,000 in an attempt to discredit the missionary work of Pope Leo XIV, or to suggest that being elected pope has changed him. This is not true. The estimated value of the ring is calculated based upon what it could be sold for. But the estimated value of anything from the pope would be much higher than the actual cost of the ring.

Other symbols

528px Emblem of the Holy See usual.svg — The meaning of the papal symbols at the Mass to Inaugurate Pope Leo's pontificate May 18, 2025 8

Emblem of the Holy See. The crossed keys symbolise the Keys of Peter. The keys are gold and silver to represent the power of loosing and binding. The tiarasymbolizes the triple power of the Pope as “father of kings”, “governor of the world” and “Vicar of Christ”.^[1] The gold cross on a monde (globe) surmounting the tiara symbolizes the sovereignty of Jesus.

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