Hundreds of supporters lined Hanover Street in Boston’s North End yesterday to welcome former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who was in Boston speaking on behalf of Republican gubernatorial candidate Mitt Romney.

The former mayor, who was named Time Magazine’s Man of the Year in 2001, greeted supporters and stopped into local businesses, including popular Boston bakery Mike’s Pastry. He then proceeded to Paul Revere Park and spoke for approximately 10 minutes.

The crowd responded enthusiastically to Romney and Giuliani, holding campaign signs and small Italian flags. Shop windows were also decorated to welcome the candidate. Employees of Caffe Vittoria hung an enormous patriotic painting by local artist Giovanni Decunto.

Romney lauded Giuliani’s leadership in New York City, traditionally a Democratic stronghold.

Though Massachusetts’ last three governors have been Republicans, the state has long been considered Democratic territory.

Recently, Romney changed his stance on abortion rights, adopting the pro-choice position that tends to be more popular in Massachusetts. Some conservative voters at the rally were concerned by the switch.

Maureen O’Connor of Boston said her main reason for backing Romney originally was his anti-abortion stance. However, she said she was still behind Romney.

“He’s an honest, straightforward, sincere man, which is hard to find in politicians these days,” she said.

Giuliani said he felt at home in the North End where he was last seen campaigning for former Governor and North End native Paul Cellucci.

“The last time I walked these streets was with Paul Cellucci, and he won,” Giuliani said. He demonstrated equal confidence in Romney. “He will make a great governor.”

“We don’t need just other politicians … we need people who have proven to be leaders,” Giuliani said, citing Romney’s pivotal role in managing the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

“He took a situation that was scandal-ridden, a situation that looked bleak and it looked like the Winter Olympics would be a great failure several years ago … he turned it around and made it a great success,” Giuliani said.

Giuliani and Romney stressed the importance of economic recovery in the Commonwealth and lambasted Romney’s opponent Shannon O’Brien, who last week referred to large corporations in the Commonwealth as “dinosaurs.”

“In a Romney administration, no company will be treated like a dinosaur and no job will become extinct,” Romney told The Boston Globe last week.

Matt McGowen, a Romney volunteer who attended the event, commented on the famous Republicans that had recently come to Massachusetts in support of Mitt Romney.

“A Democratic friend of mine said ‘when are you going to bring Jesus in? You have Bush and then Rudy — you can’t trump it.'”

Recent polls report that O’Brien and Romney are virtually deadlocked in the gubernatorial race.

While in Boston Giuliani also appeared at Barnes and Noble in Copley Place to sign copies of his book, “Leadership,” which chronicles leadership throughout his life, particularly during his term as mayor of New York City.

“Leadership,” written with the help of New York financial writer Ken Kurson, went on sale Tuesday and covers Giuliani’s life and career. Giuliani dedicated his book to “all the people described in these pages, whom I leaned on and learned from — it was from them that I devised the strength to lead.”

The chapters of the book include ‘September 11,’ ‘Be your own Man,’ and ‘Reflect, Then Decide.’ Most of the approximately 600 people who attended the signing said they hadn’t read the entire book yet, but were very excited and full of expectations.

Laurie Edgar of South Boston, who had been waiting in line since 9 a.m., said she saw the book as a “reflection of Giuliani’s experiences and his ability to put into practice some of the things he deems as true quality leadership.” She also said the book provided “insight into the mind of a great leader we can actually respect.”

“You see the events of 9/11 through his eyes, and it is even more vivid than the pictures seen on TV,” said Meredith Patrick, a graduate student at Northeastern University. “It was kind of sad to relive the whole thing again as I read it. He was so incredible during the entire thing.”

Audrey Barr of South Boston, who said she was very excited to see Giuliani for the first time Tuesday, said she expects to get the “practical lessons of life” out of Leadership.

“He had some extraordinary experiences, but he’s still a mortal, and I think we could all benefit from his experience,” Barr said.