At 69 years of age and with a long career in the Roman Curia, Cardinal Robert Prevost has become Pope number 267, being the first pontiff of American origin in the history of the Church. The new leader of the Catholic Church has chosen the name Leo XIV in honor of Leo XIII, who led the Holy See from 1878 to 1903 and is recognized for his contribution to social doctrine, his openness to the modern world, and his diplomatic skills.
Leo XIII, whose secular name was Gioacchino Vincenzo Raffaele Luigi Pecci, was born in Italy in 1810 and led the Church for 25 years. He is known for the historic encyclical Rerum Novarum (1891), considered a milestone in Catholic social doctrine for addressing the rights of workers, economic justice, and the responsibilities of the state and capital regarding poverty.
Leo XIII was the first pope to be filmed on video, symbolizing the Church's openness to new times and fostering unity between faith and thought. With an approach inspired by Saint Thomas Aquinas, he promoted historical research by opening the Vatican Archives in 1883, which had restricted access for centuries.
Cardinal Robert Prevost, now known as Leo XIV, aims to lead the transition towards a post-crisis era by focusing his papacy on justice, peace, and hope for future generations, thus following the spirit of his predecessor Leo XIII.
