The first hint of the brand new pope’s direction has include the name he picked.
USA Cardinal Robert Prevost, 69, was elected the brand new pope and leader of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday and has taken the name Pope Leo XIV a senior cardinal announced to crowds in St. Peter’s Square.
Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American missionary who spent his profession ministering in Peru and leads the Vatican’s powerful office of bishops, was elected the primary American pope within the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church.
After the standard announcement of “Habemus Papam” – “We have a pope” – from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the brand new pontiff’s baptismal name was revealed, followed by the all-important papal name, laden with symbolic meaning.
Peace be with all you,” Pope Leo XIV said from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday, in his first public words.
Papal name historically signifies strength during crisis, Catholic commentator says
The election of American-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has come as a surprise, Catholic priest and blogger Ed Tomlinson said.
“It seems prone to be a continuation of Francis’s liberalisation,” he told The Independent.
As for his alternative of Papal name, Tomlinson said it had a protracted history.
“The papal name Leo unsurprisingly shows a Pope who’s going to be strong during a time of crisis, historically,” he said.
The last pope to decide on the name Leo was greater than 100 years ago. Pope Leo XIII led the Church from 1878 to 1903. The first pope of the name, Pope Leo the Great, led the church from 440-461.
Pope Leo XI had considered one of the shortest pontificates in history, lasting lower than a month – from 1 April 1605 until his death on 27 April 1605.
What’s in a reputation?
A Pope Francis II would have singalled a continuation of the late pontiff’s give attention to pastoral care and the marginalised. Interestingly, Francis himself jokingly suggested his successor is perhaps John XXIV, referencing the progressive pope of the Second Vatican Council era.
Conversely, choosing Pius, probably the most continuously used papal name of the Twentieth century, would clearly indicate a traditionalist taking the helm.
As Natalia Imperatori-Lee, chair of non secular studies at Manhattan College, noted, “In the deepest recesses of their mind, after they start the conclave, everyone will walk in there with a reputation of their head.”
The chosen name will offer a vital first glimpse into the brand new pope’s vision for the Catholic Church.
History of papal names
For a lot of the Catholic Church’s first millennium, popes used their given names. The first exception was the sixth century Roman Mercurius, who had been named for a pagan god and selected the more appropriate name of John II.
The practice of adopting a recent name became ingrained throughout the eleventh century, a period of German popes who selected names of early church bishops out of “a desire to suggest continuity,” said the Rev. Roberto Regoli, a historian at Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University.
For many centuries, recent popes tended to decide on the name of the pope who had elevated them to cardinal. John was the preferred, chosen by 23 popes, followed by Benedict and Gregory, each with 16.
Only starting within the mid-Twentieth century did recent popes begin to decide on names signaling the aim of their papacy, Regoli said.
“Even now, as we’re waiting for the brand new pope, the name with which he’ll present himself will help us to know the horizon towards which he desires to proceed,” Regoli said.
Some names have been out of use for hundreds of years, like Urban or Innocent.
“I don’t think anyone will pick Innocent,″ Imperatori-Lee said, given the abuse and other scandals which have rocked the church. “I don’t think that might be the best alternative.”
Recent names of Popes
FRANCIS
Pope Francis, elected in 2013, took the name of St. Francis of Assisi, known for his humility, lifetime of poverty and love of all creatures.
With it, Francis signaled a papacy focused on those that are sometimes seen as outsiders, including the poor, prisoners and the LGBTQ+ community, while promoting peace, brotherhood and care of the environment.
BENEDICT
Last chosen by German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, elected in 2005. Pope Benedict XVI said he desired to pay homage to Benedict XV, who led the church during World War I and dedicated himself to healing the rifts of war, and to the sixth century St. Benedict, founding father of Western monasticism, who helped spread Christianity throughout Europe.
One of Benedict XVI’s priorities was attempting to revive the religion in Europe. “If we get a Benedict, then we are going to know that the cardinals selected to see Francis as an anomaly,” Imperatori-Lee said.
JOHN PAUL
The papacy’s first composite name was chosen by Cardinal Albino Luciani in 1978 to honor Pope John XXIII, who opened the Vatican Council II process that reformed the Catholic Church, and Paul VI, who closed it.
The name signaled a commitment to reforms, including sidelining the Latin Mass in favor of local languages and opening to other faiths, most importantly Judaism. John Paul I’s papacy lasted just 33 days. Polish Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, who succeeded him, selected the name John Paul II.
JOHN
Chosen 23 times by popes, most recently in 1958 by Pope John XXIII. John can discuss with St. John the Apostle, considered one of Jesus’ 12 apostles and the creator of considered one of the Gospels, or St. John the Baptist, the prophet who baptized Jesus.
“John the XXIII was a pope that nobody expected quite a bit from, but had a colossal impact on the church,” Imperatori-Lee said. ”So that may very well be an indication of what they need their pontificate to be like.”
PAUL
Chosen six times, most recently in 1963 by Paul VI. St. Paul the Apostle spread the teachings of Jesus in the first century.
PIUS
It is related to popes known for his or her traditionalist, anti-reform bent. Pius IX ordered the kidnapping of the Jewish boy Edgardo Mortara in 1858 and raised him Catholic within the Vatican after learning he had been secretly baptized by a housekeeper.
Pius X was the early Twentieth century anti-modernist who inspired the anti-Vatican II schismatic group, the Society of St. Pius X. Pius XII was the World War II-era pope criticized for not speaking out sufficiently concerning the Holocaust.
“It is now a reputation that’s hostage to some Catholic groups that might be considered traditionalists,” Regoli said.
New directions for a Pope
A recent pope is free to decide on a reputation never used before, as Francis did.
“This would open a recent season and will mean that his program will not be in step with any of his predecessors, so a fair more personalized program,” Regoli said.
Imperatori-Lee suggested one other name that may signal a continuation of Francis’ legacy: Ignatius, for the founding father of Francis’ Jesuit order.
“It can be interesting,” she said. “We’ve never had considered one of those.”
