On Monday, Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the patron saints of Rome. During the liturgy, he urged the faithful to look to the two apostles as models of unity, charity, and service, reminding them that both men became extraordinary witnesses despite their flaws.
In his homily, the Holy Father reflected on the distinct but complementary missions of the “two pillars of the Church.” He recalled how Peter, chosen by Jesus to shepherd His flock, fostered communion even amid division. Though Peter denied Christ during the Passion and was later rebuked by Paul, he repented and embraced his mission to listen, guide, correct, and accompany others. Peter’s example, Pope Leo said, calls every Christian to be a “builder of unity” who keeps God at the center and lives in charity with others.
The Pope then turned to Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, describing how God won over the heart of the young Saul, transforming the persecutor of the Church into a messenger of peace. Like Peter, Paul bore witness to the Gospel to the point of martyrdom in Rome. Quoting St. Augustine, Pope Leo noted that God forgave Paul’s sins and placed him in ministry so he could help others find forgiveness.
A key moment of the Mass was the traditional blessing and imposition of the pallium on new Metropolitan Archbishops. The white wool bands, marked with crosses, symbolize the shepherd’s commitment to carry the faithful like lambs on their shoulders and to offer their energy, time, and even their lives for them. At the heart of that selflessness, the Pope said, is the desire for the Gospel to reach everyone and bring harmony to the world.
Pope Leo XIV also extended greetings to the Delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople present for the celebration. He concluded by asking Saints Peter and Paul to sustain all believers on their journey of communion in the footsteps of the Savior, the path Christ prayed for at the Last Supper.