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A Catholic Register special section
OSV News photo/David Agren
In a country where over 90% of the population identifies as Christian—and nearly three-quarters as Catholic—the election of a new pope is more than a Vatican affair. It's personal.
When Catholics heard on May 8 the new pope had chosen the name Leo XIV, the thoughts of many turned immediately to Leo XIII, the last pope to bear the name.
Pope Leo XIV's devotion to St. Augustine, his life and ministry as a member of the Augustinian order and his focus on the unity of the church are reflected in his episcopal motto and coat of arms.
As the Catholic Church welcomes its first American pope, here are 10 things to know about Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert F. Prevost.
May 14, 2025
Among his first messages, Pope Leo XIV expressed his intention to strengthen the Catholic Church's ties with the Jewish community.
May 13, 2025
It was a historic first for the Order of St. Augustine when one of its own, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was elected as Holy Father.
May 11, 2025
For Toronto’s Cardinal Francis Leo, he came to Rome “like an orphan,” and as he and the other 132 cardinal lectors prepare to leave for their home dioceses, they do so with a new head of the family.
UpdatedMay 9, 2025
While the new Pope's American and Peruvian citizenry, as well as being the first Augustinian friar to be made Pope, was of interest to young Catholics, most are looking beyond that and hold real hope as to what his new mission will bring.
With a huge and festive crowd gathered in St. Peter's Square, Pope Leo XIV led his first Sunday recitation of the "Regina Coeli" prayer and urged all Catholics to pray for vocations, especially to the priesthood and religious life.
May 9, 2025
Pope Leo XIV will officially inaugurate his papacy with Mass in St. Peter's Square May 18.
