Europe EditionWhat's in a name? The history of the papal name Leo
- On May 8, 2025, the newly elected Pope Leo XIV made his first public appearance overlooking the crowd from St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
- He selected the name Leo in honor of Pope Leo XIII, whose 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum was pivotal in shaping contemporary Catholic perspectives on social issues.
- Experts highlight that the chosen name reflects a strong dedication to social justice, continuing the late Pope Francis’ emphasis on addressing global social concerns.
- Natalia Imperatori-Lee emphasized that the pope's chosen name reflects a strong dedication to social justice, while Roberto Regoli noted it signifies a continuation of the legacy established by Leo XIII.
- This choice suggests Pope Leo XIV aims to maintain the Church’s emphasis on social justice and workers’ rights amid contemporary challenges.
82 Articles
82 Articles
Everything you need to know about every Pope Leo — even the antisemitic Leo and the one with the elephant
Once upon a time, popes used their given names. But then a guy named Mercurius got the job and everyone decided that a Christian leader named after a pagan Roman god wouldn’t do, so he took the name John II. Afterwards, it became common practice for popes to take new, papal names. And in the past century or so, those names took on special significance, as a tool to symbolize the direction and priorities of their papacy. Which brings us to our ne…
The importance of being called Leo: from the schism of Luther to the turning point on the workers
The decision evokes some crucial passages in the history of the Roman Church: from the oldest Christological controversies, to the birth of Protestantism, to the confrontation with modernity
Colorado Springs Gazette
What's in a name? With Leo, new pope shows support for workers and labor unions
On Thursday, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost was introduced to the world as the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church and the first American pope, taking the name Leo XIV.
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