Pope Leo XIV, Metr. Emmanuel Visit Tomb of St. Peter After Vatican Liturgy

ROME — Pope Leo XIV and Metr. Emmanuel of Chalcedon, representing Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, visited the tomb of St. Peter following the celebration of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul at the Vatican on June 29.

Metr. Emmanuel was sent to Rome by Patr. Bartholomew as part of the annual exchange of delegations between the Vatican and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The visit to the tomb of St. Peter took place after the conclusion of the Mass celebrated by Pope Leo.

During the liturgy, Pope Leo imposed the pallium on 35 newly appointed metropolitan archbishops of the Roman Catholic Church. The pallium, a white woolen band worn over the shoulders, is conferred upon metropolitan archbishops as a symbol of their office and their relationship with the Bishop of Rome.

The annual exchange of delegations has continued in recent years. During the 2025 observance of the feast, Metr. Emmanuel led the Constantinopolitan delegation to the Vatican, where both he and Pope Leo spoke about efforts to restore communion between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches. Pope Leo also referred to the 1965 meeting between Pope Paul VI and Patr. Athenagoras and expressed his desire to continue efforts toward what he described as "full visible communion."

In remarks directed to this year's Orthodox delegation, Pope Leo referred to Patr. Bartholomew as his "dear brother" and expressed the hope that Sts. Peter and Paul would assist Catholics and Orthodox in their efforts toward greater communion. The joint appearance of Pope Leo and Metr. Emmanuel at the tomb of St. Peter followed the practice of previous reciprocal visits between representatives of Rome and Constantinople on the feast days of their respective patron saints.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Metr. Nathanael met Pope Leo XIV in a Vatican audience.