Pope Leo XIV, originally Bishop Robert Prevost, elected on May 8, 2025, is the 267th Pope of the Catholic Church and the first ever Pope to be from the United States, specifically being from Bronzeville in Chicago, Illinois.
The first ever Pope of the Catholic Church was the Apostle St. Peter, elected by Jesus Christ, he was given the keys of the Church, starting the tradition of having a Pope as the leader of the Church.
Popes didn’t always change their names when they became Pope, since 1555 it became a tradition to change your name when you became a new pope. When it started, changing their name was a sign of becoming a new person and taking on a new life, they usually chose the names of earlier bishops or that of the Pope that made them a cardinal. In the 20th century it changed that Pope’s would choose their name based off of what they aimed to do in their papacy.
The newly elected Pope Leo is the 14th pope to take on that name. Pope Leo I, also known as Pope Leo the Great was the 45th Pope and he had a role in redefining Christian Doctrine, specifically that of the Hypostatic Union, being that Jesus is both divine and human. He is one of only two Popes to be recognized as a Doctor of the Church.
Pope Leo XIV chose this name because of Pope Leo XIII and his social doctrine to the Church: Rerum Novarum. Rerum Novarum was the first encyclical that highlighted the Catholic Social Teachings. It emphasized human dignity, solidarity, and subsidiarity. The social issue he was targeting was that of worker’s rights.
Choosing the name Leo shows Pope Leo XIV’s commitment to social issues similar to Pope Francis’ commitment and that of Pope Leo XIII.
