The Vatican & The Pope

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? Pope Leo's American tall task

Newly elected Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square yesterday. Photo: Vatican Media via AP Pope Leo XIV — the first U.S.-born pontiff, who is of Spanish descent and served in Latin America — is uniquely positioned to help ease deep divisions between the country's white and Latino Catholics, Axios' Russell Contreras writes. Why it matters: The new pope has been an outspoken defender of migrant rights, and his family's immigration story touches an issue that has split many U.S. Catholics along cultural and political lines. ? Zoom in: Those familiar with the former Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost described him yesterday as an empathetic centrist with a measured approach that's tinted with humor. They imagined that he could help soften tensions within the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church, and beyond. Some even thought that the turmoil surrounding President Trump's policies on immigration and other issues had made the surprise selection of an American pope more likely. "The upheaval of international order made clear by President Trump has made possible the impossible, meaning the papal election of an American citizen," Massimo Faggioli, a professor of historical theology at Villanova University — the new pope's alma mater — told CNN. Between the lines: Robert Jones, president of the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute, tells Axios that Leo's rise could fuel interest in the church among lapsed Catholics in the U.S., where membership has been fading amid a jump in "religious nones" — those with no religious affiliation. Data: PopeHistory and Axios research. Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios ? Reality check: Attitudes toward Trump and immigration are deeply ingrained in American culture, making it difficult for a pope — even one from Chicago — to become a major influence beyond the church. But the history-making aspect of Leo's selection will draw many Americans' attention, at least for a while. The backstory: Leo, 69, was born to a French-Italian American father who served in World War II and a Spanish American mother with New Orleans Creole roots. He arrived in Peru on an Augustinian mission in 1985, and later directed an Augustinian seminary in the country for 10 years. He later became a Peruvian citizen, and maintains dual citizenship. Share this story. Covers of today's New York Post, The (London) Sun The latest: Pope Leo XIV celebrates his first Mass.

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? 1 fun thing: Chicago's homegrown pope

Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Andrej Isakovic/AFP via Getty Images

When word came of Pope Leo XIV's Chicago roots, witty local comments flooded social media, Axios Chicago's Justin Kaufmann writes. The big picture: As the world learns about the new Chicago-born pope, they may also learn about Chicago's humor. Some early reactions: "Deep dish eucharist." (Bluesky) "Cannot wait for holy water & wine to be replaced by Malort & Old Style." (X) "Payton, Jordan, Oprah, Ditka, Royko and now...God." (X) Three sisters stand inside St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, the now-closed Chicago church Pope Leo XIV attended growing up on the city's far south side. Photo: Vincent Alban/Reuters ⚾ Between the lines: John Prevost — Leo's brother, who lives in the Chicago suburbs — cleared up an important early question... The pope's a White Sox fan, not a Cubs fan. Keep reading.

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Leo XIV elected as the first American pope Pope Leo XIV celebrates his first Mass on Friday after his historic election as the first North American pope, meeting with the cardinals who chose him to lead the Catholic Church and follow in Pope Francis’ footsteps. Read more.

What to know: The Chicago-born Augustinian missionary Robert Prevost surprised the world Thursday when he emerged on the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, overcoming the traditional prohibition against a pope from the United States. There had long been a taboo on a U.S. pope, given America’s superpower status in the secular world, but Prevost prevailed, perhaps because he’s also a Peruvian citizen and had lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as bishop.   Since arriving in Rome, Prevost had kept a low public profile but was well-known to the men who count. Francis tapped him to be head of the Vatican’s powerful Dicastery for Bishops, which vets bishop nominations around the world and, significantly, he presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope.   Vatican watchers said Prevost’s decision to name himself Leo was particularly significant, suggesting continuity with some of Francis’ chief concerns: Brother Leo was the 13th century friar who was a great companion to St. Francis of Assisi, the late pope’s namesake. Leo has also cited one of Francis’ key priorities of making the Catholic Church more attentive to lay people and inclusive.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Leo XIV’s brother recalls feeling of ‘disbelief’ over his sibling becoming pope On social media, Pope Leo XIV has shared criticism of Trump and Vance over policies   WATCH: Villanova academics stunned as alum Robert Prevost becomes first U.S. pope

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Pope Leo XIV

Former Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, the first American to be elected pope, will reveal more about the direction he wishes to take the Catholic Church in the months to come. If you’ve never heard of the new pontiff, here are a few tidbits about his background. The 69-year-old from Chicago stepped into his role as the 267th pope on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica Thursday bearing a message of peace. He has chosen the name Leo XIV. Leo is now tied for the fourth most common name chosen by popes, along with Clement. According to a family historian who researched his genealogy, the new pontiff has Creole of color roots in New Orleans, Louisiana. He earned a bachelor’s in mathematics from Villanova University in Pennsylvania and a diploma in theology from the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago. Leo is a dual citizen of the US and Peru and enjoys playing tennis.   As 'Born in the U.S.A.' plays, American cardinals in Rome celebrate Pope Leo XIV Speakers blasted “Born in the U.S.A. and ”American Pie" as six cardinal electors from the United States celebrated the first U.S. pope a day after Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost became Pope Leo XIV. Read More.

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No phones, lots of prayer: Australian cardinal’s insight into secretive Vatican conclave

Australia’s highest-ranking Catholic has provided a rare insight into the process of electing the new pope, describing the secretive conclave as the highlight of his life.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/10/no-phones-lots-of-prayer-australian-cardinals-insight-into-secretive-vatican-conclave?

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? Leo warns on AI

Pope Leo XIV prays in St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome, where he made a surprise visit yesterday. Photo: Vatican Media via AP "I too address the world's great powers by repeating the ever-present call 'never again war,'" Pope Leo XIV said from the Vatican balcony during his first Sunday address as pontiff today. "I carry in my heart the sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian people. Let everything possible be done to achieve an authentic, just and lasting peace as soon as possible. ... I am deeply saddened by what is happening in the Gaza Strip. Cease fire immediately! Let humanitarian aid be provided to the exhausted civilian population and let all hostages be freed." Yesterday, the new pope laid out the vision of his papacy during his first formal audience, with the cardinals who elected him, AP reports. Leo called out AI as one of the most critical matters facing humanity, saying it poses challenges to defending human dignity, justice and labor. He also repeatedly cited his predecessor Francis' mission, committing to making the Catholic Church more inclusive and one that looks out for the "least and rejected." The childhood home of the pope in Dolton, Ill. Photo: Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times Meanwhile, stateside, Chicagoans are soaking up the election of their homegrown pope. Offers are flooding in — well above asking price — for the modest brick house in Dolton, Ill., south of Chicago, where Leo grew up, The New York Times reports. Photo: David Banks/AP The Chicago White Sox honored Pope Leo XIV on the scoreboard before a home game against the Miami Marlins on Friday. A resurfaced video shows Leo, then Robert Prevost, in the stands during Game 1 of the 2005 World Series, which the White Sox went on to win.

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Pope Leo XIV calls for peace in Ukraine and Gaza in symbolically rich blessing on Mother’s Day

Pope Leo XIV called for a genuine and just peace in Ukraine and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, in his first Sunday noon blessing as pontiff that featured some symbolic gestures suggesting a message of unity in a polarized Catholic Church. “I too address the world’s great powers by repeating the ever-present call ‘never again war,’” Leo said from the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica to thousands of people below. Read more.

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Pope Leo XIV affirms family is based on union between a man and a woman, unborn has inherent dignity

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV affirmed Friday that the family is founded on the “stable union between a man and a woman,” and that the unborn and elderly enjoy dignity as God’s creatures, articulating clear Catholic teaching on marriage and abortion at the start of his pontificate.

https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-leo-peace-abortion-f0678b67da0dc74b4bc7e6e10a77a23e?

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Pope Leo XIV to address youth at Chicago mass in June

Pope Leo XIV will deliver a video "to the young people of the world" during his mass in Chicago next month, the city's archdiocese announced Tuesday.

https://www.axios.com/2025/05/28/pope-leo-chicago-youth-mass-june?

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First millennial saint Carlo Acutis will be canonized Sept. 7, the pope says

ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV on Friday set Sept. 7 as the rescheduled date to canonize the Catholic Church’s first millennial-era saint Carlo Acutis.

https://apnews.com/article/vatican-saint-acutis-millennial-68d1af81ed757bf504399dcf08c1720d?

Pope Leo XIV’s fashion choices make waves, and many wonder what they mean

VATICAN CITY (AP) — When Pope Leo XIV stepped out on the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica to greet the crowd for the first time after his May 8 election, liturgical fashion aficionados around the globe took note: Gone was the simple white cassock and silver cross favored by Pope Francis. Back was the red satin mozzetta shoulder cape, the burgundy stola with gold embroidery and a gold cross held by a double-stranded silken gold cord.

https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-fashion-conservative-latin-2181f7fbc52cab954a4f5962bb5db7a1?

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Pope Leo XIV says there should be no tolerance for abuse of any kind in Catholic Church

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Pope Leo XIV has said there should be no tolerance in the Catholic Church for any type of abuse – sexual, spiritual or abuse of authority -- and called for “transparent processes” to create a culture of prevention across the church.

https://apnews.com/article/pope-abuse-peru-leo-sodalitium-clergy-ugaz-7472664cef836f0ee9d2456fd219559a?

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1 for the road: Pope's summer getaway

Pope Leo XIV arrives at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, yesterday. Photo: Andrew Medichini/AP Pope Leo XIV arrived in the papal summer retreat of Castel Gandolfo yesterday to start a six-week vacation, giving the hilltop town back its most illustrious resident after Pope Francis stayed away during his 12-year pontificate. The 69-year-old Chicago native is resuming the papal tradition of leaving the Vatican for the hot summer months in favor of the relatively cooler climes of Castel Gandolfo, overlooking Lake Alban in the hills south of Rome. The area has been a favorite getaway for Roman rulers since the time of Emperor Domitian in the first century. Go deeper.

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First Millennial Saint

The Catholic Church recognized its first Millennial saint yesterday, with Pope Leo XIV canonizing English-Italian Carlo Acutis in an open-air ceremony in St. Peter’s Square. Pier Giorgio Frassati, a Catholic activist from the early 20th century, also received sainthood.     Known as “God’s Influencer,” Acutis passed away in 2006 at age 15 from an acute form of leukemia. Increasingly devout and skilled at computer programming from an early age, he developed a worldwide catalog of various miracles and visions recognized as authentic by the church. Millions have flocked to his tomb in the intervening years, and Pope Francis recognized a pair of miracles attributed to his intercession in 2020 and 2024 (a general requirement for sainthood).     The Roman Catholic Church recognizes more than 10,000 people as saints, though the exact number is unknown due to lost historical records. See some of the most well-known here.   ps:According to the Bible All followers of Christ are Saints!!   First millennial saint   Pope Leo XIV holds an open-air Mass in St. Peter's Square yesterday, under a portrait of Carlo Acutis. Photo: Andrew Medichini/AP Pope Leo XIV declared a 15-year-old computer whiz the Catholic Church's first millennial saint yesterday, giving the next generation of Catholics a relatable role model who used technology to spread the faith and earn the nickname "God's influencer." (AP) Leo canonized Carlo Acutis, who died in 2006, during an open-air Mass in St. Peter's Square before an estimated 80,000 people, many of them millennials and couples with young children. Go deeper.

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Pope Leo’s Augustinian order elects an American superior to lead during papacy of American pope

ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV’s Augustinian religious order elected a new prior general Tuesday, tapping another American to lead during the pontificate of history’s first American pope.

https://apnews.com/article/augustinians-farrell-prior-general-american-90544b9dba1747dacd5837813d2e1dad?

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Vatican prosecutors suffer embarrassing loss as tribunal says their appeal is inadmissible

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican appeals tribunal put an end Thursday to prosecutors’ efforts to salvage their claims of massive fraud in the Holy See’s “Trial of the Century,” in which a once-powerful cardinal and nine others were accused of fleecing tens of millions of euros from the church.

https://apnews.com/article/vatican-trial-century-appeal-cardinal-becciu-04527a273352f097e9bf99f3febceca9?

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At the 6-months mark, Pope Leo finds his footing and starts charting his own path and style Pope Leo XIV is getting used to being pope at the six-month mark. After his shock election in May and sharp learning curve over the summer, Leo’s key priorities are starting to come into focus, especially where he dovetails with his predecessor and where he diverges. With his pontificate’s six-month mark coming on Nov. 8, here’s a rundown of what we’ve learned about history’s first American pope. Read more

Why this matters: Leo showed himself in perfect lockstep with Pope Francis when he published his first major teaching document last month, on the church’s non-negotiable “preferential option for the poor.” Francis had begun writing the text before he died; Leo took it over and made it his own.    Leo has also embraced Francis’ ecological legacy, presiding over the first Mass using a new prayer formula “for the care of creation.” He has given the go-ahead to Francis’ ambitious plan to turn a Vatican-owned property north of Rome into a massive solar farm.   It's now clear that Leo is happy to pope the old fashioned way, wearing the red mozzetta cape and embroidered stole for most occasions. He sticks to the script of his prepared texts, shows discipline in his liturgical observance and doesn’t ad lib with wisecracks the way Francis sometimes did.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Pope Leo condemns economies that marginalize the poor while the wealthy live in a bubble of luxury  Pope meets Palestinian President Abbas, discuss urgent need for Gaza aid, two-state solution   Leo calls for ‘deep reflection’ about treatment of detained migrants in the United States

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US Catholic bishops select conservative archbishop to lead  U.S. Catholic bishops have elected Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley to lead them during President Donald Trump’s second term. In choosing Coakley, the bishops are doubling down on their conservative bent, even as they push for more humane immigration policies from the Trump administration. Read more.

Why this matters: Coakley was seen as a strong contender for the top post, having already been elected in 2022 to serve as secretary, the No. 3 official of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. He beat out centrist candidate Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, who was subsequently elected vice president.    Coakley serves as adviser to the Napa Institute, an association for conservative Catholic powerbrokers. In 2018, he publicly supported an ardent critic of Pope Francis, Italian Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, who was later excommunicated for stances that were deemed divisive.    The bishops' conference has often been at odds with the Vatican and the inclusive, modernizing approach of Francis. His U.S.-born successor, Pope Leo XIV is continuing a similar pastoral emphasis on marginalized people, poverty and the environment.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ US bishops officially ban gender-affirming care at Catholic hospitals  At the 6-months mark, Pope Leo finds his footing and starts charting his own path and style  Immigration crackdown stokes fear and solidarity at a Catholic church in DC      Vatican rehires couple fired from its bank for violating workplace marriage rule VATICAN CITY (AP) — A married couple who had been fired from the Vatican bank for violating an internal rule barring workplace marriages has been rehired in a negotiated settlement, the union for Vatican lay employees announced Wednesday. https://apnews.com/article/vatican-couple-workplace-marriage-reinstated-cb22a5487d97e34f53246430c70ea2d5? Vatican investigates Swiss Guard after allegations of an antisemitic incident in St. Peter’s Square ROME (AP) — The Vatican said Monday it was investigating a possible antisemitic incident, in which a Swiss Guard allegedly made a spitting gesture toward two Jewish women. https://apnews.com/article/vatican-swiss-guard-antisemitism-jewish-women-pope-leo-f270174110f18f5527a5c3a55800f10e?

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1,700 years ago, bishops and an emperor wrote a creed. Millions still recite it in church  Centuries of church schisms prove that if there’s doctrine to be fought over, there’s a good chance Christians will fight about it. That repeated splintering is what makes an event that happened 1,700 years ago so significant today. The event was the Council of Nicaea in 325, when the Emperor Constantine summoned bishops from around the Roman Empire. Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew — today’s Catholic and Eastern Orthodox leaders — will meet in Turkey soon to commemorate the event. Read more.

Why this matters: Catholic, Orthodox and most historic Protestant groups accept the Nicene Creed. Despite later schisms over doctrine and other factors, Nicaea remains a point of agreement — the most widely accepted creed in Christendom.      Protestant churches later split over other issues, though most held to the creed, including Lutherans, Anglicans and Presbyterians. Many modern evangelical churches have statements of faith that largely agree with it. A few notable exceptions, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, don’t accept the Nicene formula.    Various events have been commemorating the council, from the global to the local. The World Council of Churches, which includes Orthodox and Protestant groups, marked the anniversary in Egypt in October. At a Pittsburgh-area ecumenical celebration in November, the tongue-in-cheek catchphrase was, “Party like it’s 325.”

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Pope Leo celebrates cinema with Hollywood stars and urges inclusion of marginal voices  Pope strongly backs US bishops in blasting Trump immigration crackdown, urges humane treatment  Pope Leo calls for urgent climate action and says God’s creation is 'crying out'

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Pope Leo XIV visits Turkey and Lebanon on first foreign trip Pope Leo XIV is embarking on a pilgrimage to Turkey and Lebanon that would be delicate under any circumstances but is even more fraught given Mideast tensions and the media glare that will document history’s first American pope on the road. Read more.

What to know: Leo is fulfilling a trip the late Pope Francis planned to make, to mark an important anniversary with the Orthodox church in Turkey. In Lebanon, he’ll try to boost a long-suffering Christian community as well as Lebanese of all faiths who are still demanding justice over the 2020 Beirut port blast.   The main impetus for traveling to Turkey, the first stop in the Nov. 27-Dec. 2 trip, is to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, Christianity’s first ecumenical council.   On Leo’s last day, Dec. 2, he will spend time in silent prayer at the site of the Aug. 4, 2020, Beirut port blast. The explosion tore through the Lebanese capital, killing at least 218 people, wounding more than 6,000 and devastating large swaths of Beirut.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Pope says Thanksgiving is a ‘beautiful feast’ that unites all   WATCH: Popemobile used by Pope Francis is transformed into Gaza mobile emergency health clinic

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Pope Leo XIV joins Orthodox leaders at historic Council of Nicaea site The pope joined Orthodox patriarchs and ecumenical leaders in commemorating an important moment in Christian history, gathering at the site in Turkey of an unprecedented A.D. 325 meeting of bishops to pray that Christians might once again be reunited. Leo, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and other Christian leaders met on the shores of Lake Iznik, the site of the Council of Nicaea that produced a creed, or statement of faith, that is still recited by millions of Christians today. Read more.

Why this matters: Leo flew by helicopter to Iznik from Istanbul to take part in an ecumenical prayer to commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the Nicaea meeting, the highlight of his visit to Turkey. He arrived just after the Muslim call to prayer rang out from a nearby mosque.    The Nicaea gathering happened when the Eastern and Western churches were still united. Even today, despite past schisms, Catholic, Orthodox and most historic Protestant groups accept the Nicaean Creed -- the most widely accepted creed in Christendom.    As a result, celebrating its origins at the site of its creation with the spiritual leaders of the Catholic and Orthodox churches and other Christian representatives marked a historic moment in the centuries-old quest to reunite all Christians.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Optimism ahead of pope's visit to Turkey for reopening of Istanbul's Greek Orthodox seminary  Pope Leo XIV's visit rekindles hope in crisis-battered Lebanon  1,700 years ago, bishops and an emperor wrote a creed. Millions still recite it in church

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Vatican answers African bishops concerned about polygamy with document praising monogamous marriage

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican on Tuesday doubled down on the value of monogamous marriage between a man and woman, responding to concerns raised by African bishops about the practice of polygamy in their flocks.

https://apnews.com/article/vatican-marriage-polygamy-africa-pope-samesex-monogamy-f64177dd3bb0ce827f7c7ce9bd12268a?

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Pontiff abroad

Pope Leo XIV touched down in Beirut on Sunday as part of his historic first trip abroad as pontiff. Leo's visit comes just a week after an Israeli airstrike in the Lebanese capital killed five people and injured dozens. Speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane, Leo said he had come to Lebanon and Turkey to deliver a message of peace amid heightened tensions across the Middle East. This week, the pontiff is scheduled to meet political leaders and young people, take part in an interfaith gathering and celebrate mass, along with a series of other engagements.

Pope Leo XIV arrives in Beirut, Lebanon, on Sunday. (Yara Nardi/Reuters)

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Vatican commission again says no to ordaining women as deacons; recommends other ministries  A second Vatican study commission has determined that women should not be ordained as deacons. The Vatican took the unusual step of publishing a synthesis of the commission’s findings, including the members’ votes on specific theological questions. The conclusion left open the possibility for further study but proposed instead the creation of new lay ministries to give women more participation in the life of the church. Read more.

Why this matters: Catholic women do much of the church’s work in schools and hospitals and are usually responsible for passing the faith to the next generation. Some have complained of their second-class status.   Deacons are ordained ministers who perform many of the same functions as priests, presiding at weddings, baptisms and funerals. They can preach but cannot celebrate Mass.    For male seminarians, the diaconate is a transitional ministry on their way to being ordained as priests. Married men can also be ordained as permanent deacons. Women cannot, although historians say women served as deacons in the early Christian church.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Pope cancels Holy See fundraising commission announced under questionable circumstances Pope Leo XIV's first full-length US book, 'Peace Be with You,' to be released in February  Pope Leo shares his thoughts on the conclave, reflects on spirituality and future travels

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Pope names fellow Chicagoan, Bishop Ronald Hicks, as new archbishop of New York

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV on Thursday made his most important U.S. appointment to date, naming a fellow Chicagoan as the next archbishop of New York to lead one of the biggest U.S. archdioceses as it navigates relations with the Trump administration and its immigration crackdown.

https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-trump-dolan-new-york-immigration-2ca935715323389f0ca990f4b39d1117?

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?Pope Leo XIV delivered his first Christmas message, calling for global peace and highlighting suffering in Gaza, Ukraine, Yemen and elsewhere. The U.S.-born pontiff urged sympathy for immigrants worldwide, and for "those who have lost their jobs and those who are looking for work, like so many young people who struggle to find employment." Go deeper.

Pope Leo urges the faithful on Christmas to shed indifference in the face of suffering  Pope Leo XIV, during his first Christmas Day message, urged the faithful to shed indifference toward those who are suffering. The first U.S. pontiff highlighted the suffering of people in Gaza and Yemen, as well as migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea and the American continent. Read more.

Key points: Addressing 26,000 people from the loggia overlooking St. Peter's Square, the pope called for peace, justice, and stability in troubled regions such as Lebanon, Ukraine and Syria.     Leo emphasized that everyone can contribute to peace through humility and responsibility.     He received especially warm cheers when he made his greetings in his native English and in Spanish, the language of his adopted country of Peru, where he served as a missionary and then as archbishop.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤ King Charles III calls for kindness and unity in Christmas message amid global conflicts Syrian church marks Christmas and reaffirms faith months after deadly attack Photos of Christmas celebrations around the world