US EditionWhat's in a name? The history of the papal name Leo
- On May 8, 2025, Robert Francis Prevost was inaugurated as Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first American to assume the papacy, and he made his first public appearance from the prominent Vatican vantage overlooking St. Peter’s Square.
- New popes began choosing names to signal their papacy's aims from the mid-20th century, and Leo XIV's name honors Leo XIII's social doctrine legacy.
- The papal name Leo recalls Pope Leo I, known for diplomatically repelling Attila the Hun in 452 A.D. And symbolizes strength and continuity for the Church.
- According to Vatican representative Matteo Bruni, the choice of the name Leo intentionally alludes to the Church’s modern social teaching, which began with Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum focusing on the rights of workers.
- By choosing the name Leo XIV, the new pope emphasizes a strong focus on social concerns, continuing the emphasis on social justice characteristic of late Pope Francis’ leadership.
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Denver Gazette
Denver GazetteWhat's in a name? With Leo, new pope shows support for workers and labor unions
For Catholic theologians, the significance of the name could not be more clear, with the new pope tying himself to one of the foundational figures of modern Catholic social teaching, Pope Leo XIII, who advocated for the rights of the poor and working class.
·Los Angeles, United States
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Leaning Left11Leaning Right6Center17Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Center
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