{"id":27140,"date":"2025-05-09T12:09:37","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T12:09:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=27140"},"modified":"2025-05-09T12:09:37","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T12:09:37","slug":"why-the-first-american-pope-in-history-has-chosen-the-name-pope-leo-xiv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=27140","title":{"rendered":"Why the first American pope in history has chosen the name Pope Leo XIV"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Following the death of Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic church was in need of a new leader and within just shy of two days of voting, Francis\u2019 successor was announced.<\/strong><\/p>\n

On May 8, white smoke billowed out the Sistine Chapel and along with it came the announcement that\u00a0American Cardinal Robert Prevost had been elected\u00a0<\/a>as the 267th pontiff.<\/p>\n

Being born in Chicago, this marked him as the first\u00a0American<\/a>\u00a0pope in history.<\/p>\n

Donald Trump, of course, gave his take on the announcement<\/a>\u00a0as he called it a ‘great honor’ to the US.<\/p>\n

Taking to Truth Social,\u00a0Trump<\/a>\u00a0wrote: “Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope.<\/p>\n

“What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”<\/p>\n

Curiously, Prevost chose the name Pope Leo XIV, a name with a lot of Catholic significance.<\/p>\n

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\"Pope\"Pope<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Pope Leo was announced as the new head of the Church on May 8 (Christopher Furlong\/Getty Images)<\/cite><\/div>\n

What is the meaning behind Pope Leo’s name?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

By choosing the name he has aligned himself with a legacy of strong leadership and doctrinal clarity.<\/p>\n

While popes do not have to change their name when they step into the role, every one for the past 470 years has done so, often choosing the name of a predecessor to honor them and signal their desire to follow their example.<\/p>\n

The last pope to bear that name served from 1878 to 1903, this was Leo XIII, an\u00a0Italian<\/a>\u00a0pope born Gioacchino Vincenzo Raffaele Luigi Pecci, who was known for his intellectual contributions and his social teachings at the time.<\/p>\n

The director of the Holy See also spoke to reporters about the significance of choosing this name.<\/p>\n

He explained Pope Leo XIII is known for his encyclical \u2018Rerum Novarum\u2019, meaning \u2018Of New Things,\u2019 which is \u2018considered to be the foundation for the modern social doctrine of the Church\u2019<\/p>\n

Father Vito Crincoli spoke\u00a0to<\/a>\u00a0ABC News and added: \u201cLooking to the history, Leos were strong popes.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike Leo XIII, he loved his people. He loved his people. His people, he considered man not a machine. A man’s work was a reflection of his dignity.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don’t know this yet, but it’d be really interesting to know why he took the name Leo.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Pope\"Pope<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Pope Leo spoke to the crowds in Italian after being announced as the new head of the church(Franco Origlia\/Getty Images)<\/cite><\/div>\n

Pope Leo previously served as Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2023, and was the general of the Order of Saint Augustine from 2001 to 2013.<\/p>\n

Speaking to the crowd St Peter’s Basilica, his first words as pope were \u2018May peace be with all of you.\u2019<\/p>\n

Speaking of his predecessor, Pope Francis, he added: \u201cThe pope that blessed Rome gave his blessing to the whole world on that Easter morning. So let us follow up that blessing.”<\/p>\n

“Together, we must try to find out how to be a missionary church, a church that builds bridges, establishes dialogues.<\/p>\n

“That’s always open to receive, on this piazza with open arms, to be able to receive everybody that needs our charity, our presence, dialogue and love.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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