Pope Leo XIV has declared himself a Roman as he completes the final ceremonial steps cementing his role as the bishop of Rome. Leo formally took possession of the St.

Pope Leo XIV addressed Rome’s mayor minutes before making his way to the Basilica of St. John Lateran to take possession of his chair as bishop of Rome.

ROME — The Roman basilica of the Augustinians — Pope Leo XIV’s religious order — preserves an iconic painting of the Virgin Mary by Caravaggio, the blockbuster artist who revolutionized the use of light and darkness in Western art.