What's in a name? Pope Leo XIV's choice signals priorities

Pope Leo XIV's prime of sanction signals a committedness to societal justness that is very overmuch successful statement pinch nan precocious Pope Francis' world ministry.

"I deliberation a batch of america had a mobility people erstwhile they elected an American, and past he selected nan sanction Pope Leo XIV," said Natalia Imperatori-Lee, nan chair of belief studies astatine Manhattan University.

"It really intends to maine he will proceed nan activity of Leo XIII."

Pope Leo XIII, who was caput of nan Catholic Church from 1878 to 1903, laid nan instauration for modern Catholic societal thought, astir famously pinch his 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which addressed workers' authorities and capitalism astatine nan dawn of nan business age.

He criticised some laissez-faire capitalism and state-centric socialism, giving style to a distinctly Catholic vein of economical teaching.

The sanction "is a heavy motion of committedness to societal issues," said Imperatori-Lee.

"I deliberation this (new) pope is saying thing astir societal justice, by choosing this name, that it is going to beryllium a priority. He is continuing a batch of Francis' ministry," she said.

Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni confirmed that prime of nan sanction Leo was a reference to Leo XIII and nan societal doctrine of nan church, successful peculiar nan Rerum Novarum encyclical, considered nan Catholic Church's first societal encyclical.

Another predecessor, Pope Leo I, was known for repelling nan barbarian penetration of Atilla nan Hun successful 452 CE and dissuading him from sacking Rome done diplomacy, Italian Cardinal Mauro Piacenza told RAI Italian authorities TV.

He besides noted that Pope Leo XIII elevated nan Sanctuary of Our Lady of nan Rosary of Pompeii to a papal basilica successful 1901.

Leo could besides mention to Brother Leo, nan 13th period friar who was a awesome companion of Saint Francis of Assisi. By choosing specified a name, nan caller pope could beryllium signaling besides a very beardown continuity pinch Francis, who named himself aft nan saint.

For astir of nan Catholic Church's first millennium, popes utilized their fixed names. The first objection was nan 6th period Roman Mercurius, who had been named for a pagan deity and chose nan much due sanction of John II.

The believe of adopting a caller sanction became ingrained during nan 11th century, a play of German popes who chose names of early religion bishops retired of "a desire to signify continuity," according to Reverend Roberto Regoli, a historiographer astatine Rome's Pontifical Gregorian University.

For galore centuries, caller popes tended to take nan sanction of nan pope who had elevated them to cardinal. John was nan astir popular, chosen by 23 popes, followed by Benedict and Gregory, each pinch 16.

It was from nan mid-20th period that caller popes began to take names signaling nan purpose of their papacy, Regoli said.

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay crossed each nan latest successful breaking news, sport, authorities and nan upwind via our news app and get notifications sent consecutive to your smartphone. Available connected the Apple App Store and Google Play.