This Friday, May 8, the Church marks the first anniversary of the election of Pope Leo XIV. Exactly one year ago, white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel announced the successor of Peter who, since then, has guided the People of God with a strong call to missionary evangelization and a renewed encounter with Christ amid the crises of the contemporary world.
In this first year, Leo XIV has established a magisterium characterized by doctrinal depth, simplicity, and a constant insistence on the centrality of Jesus. Here are some of the defining moments of the beginning of his pontificate.
The Name “Leo”
In his very first appearance on the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica, the new Pope surprised many by choosing the name Leo. The direct reference to Pope Leo XIII — author of the social encyclical Rerum Novarum — signaled a papacy attentive to social issues, the dignity of work, and the Church’s dialogue with modernity.
A Magisterium of Truth
A spiritual son of Saint Augustine of Hippo, Leo XIV has devoted his General Audiences to a historical series on the Second Vatican Council. With an engaging teaching style, he has revisited documents such as Lumen Gentium, reinforcing that the Church is not a political organization, but a pilgrim community journeying toward eternity.
The Franciscan Jubilee Year
Continuing the graces of the Jubilee of Hope (2025), the Pope proclaimed the Franciscan Jubilee Year in celebration of the 800th anniversary of the passing of Saint Francis of Assisi — a central figure in the spirituality of the Shalom vocation.
“Saint Francis teaches us that holiness means emptying ourselves so that God may become everything,” the Pontiff said, highlighting the enduring relevance of the “Poor Man of Assisi” as a prophetic witness for today’s world.
Canonizations and the Jubilee of Hope
Leo XIV embraced the leadership of the 2025 Jubilee with vigor. One of the high points of this period was the canonization of Saint Carlo Acutis and Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati, the first saints of his pontificate, along with the proclamation of Saint John Henry Newman as a Doctor of the Church. Celebrations dedicated to young people, families, and communicators reinforced the image of a welcoming Church close to human suffering.
Mission and Geopolitics: Appeals for Peace
The Pope’s first year was also marked by a firm stance regarding international conflicts. Whether during the Angelus or in private audiences, Leo XIV repeatedly appealed for peace in the Middle East, Ukraine, and Africa.
Among his apostolic journeys, the following stand out:
- Turkey and Lebanon: commemorating the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea.
- Africa: a recent visit to Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea, reaffirming the continent as the future of the Church.
Spirituality: “Without prayer, the Church loses its breath”
For the Pope, missionary action is born from silence and adoration. In several speeches, he warned against the risk of a superficial Christian life. “Without prayer, the Church loses its spiritual breath”, he said during a retreat with priests at the Vatican.
His discreet style, combined with intellectually rich and pastoral addresses, has strengthened his image as a serene and intellectually grounded shepherd. In times of polarization, Leo XIV points toward a missionary Church and, above all, a reconciling one.
