Today, Pope Leo XIV was presented with the round mosaic bearing his official papal portrait — the 267th papal image to take its place in the Basilica of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls.

The papal mosaics of the basilica form a unique visual history of the Church, with portraits of every pope from St Peter to the present day lining the upper walls of the nave. Together, they serve as a powerful reminder of apostolic succession and the continuity of the Petrine ministry across the centuries.

The mosaic, which will be installed at the end of the right nave of the basilica, is made up of more than 15,000 tiles, including some dating back to the 1800s. At the conclusion of the presentation, the Holy Father invited all those present to pause with him in prayer before the image.