The Catholic Church—and indeed the world—witnessed the beginning of a new papacy on May 8. The election of Pope Leo XIV marks more than just a transition of leadership; it evokes a name laden with deep historical resonance. In choosing the name Leo, the new pope situates himself in a line of pontiffs whose legacies span the bold defense of orthodoxy, the reform of ecclesial corruption, and the navigation of seismic cultural shifts.
From Leo the Great in the fifth century to Leo XIII in the modern era, each Leo has faced his era’s tempest—and shaped the Church in its wake. Now, Pope Leo XIV inherits not only the Chair of Peter but the mantle of the lion-hearted popes who came before him. His challenge? To discern which elements of the Leo tradition he must embody to meet the crises of our age.
Leo the Great: Defender of Christological Truth
The most venerated of his namesakes, St. Leo the Great (pope from 440 to 461), stood firm in the face of theological chaos. At the Council of Chalcedon in 451, his Tome—a profound Christological declaration—affirmed that Jesus Christ is one divine Person with two natures, fully human and fully divine. Upon hearing it read, the Council fathers famously declared, “Peter has spoken through Leo.”
This kind of doctrinal clarity is sorely needed today. The Church faces a postmodern tide that often treats truth as relative and doctrine as negotiable. Moral and theological confusion swirl around topics like gender ideology, the Eucharist, marriage, and the uniqueness of Christ.
Pope Leo XIV will be called to echo his first namesake—not with nostalgia or rigidity, but with courage and precision. A Church unsure of its message cannot offer a coherent witness to the world. It must proclaim the truth—not abstractly, but pastorally, as Leo the Great did in both theological statement and moral leadership.
Consider, too, the crisis of sexual abuse. In his time, Leo the Great confronted public immorality when North African refugees brought disturbing Manichaean practices into Rome—including the ritual sexual abuse of young girls. He responded not with bureaucratic opacity, but with swift, public justice. Can Pope Leo XIV offer similarly decisive action—prioritizing the protection of the innocent and the integrity of the Church over institutional preservation?
Leo II: Nuance, Mercy, and Doctrinal Fidelity
Fast forward two centuries to Leo II (682–683), whose pontificate was brief but morally and theologically significant. He clarified that his predecessor, Pope Honorius I, had not taught heresy outright but had failed to condemn it adequately. This distinction—a subtle yet crucial articulation—reveals the heart of Leo II’s gift: holding the line on truth while demonstrating charity and interpretive care.
In our time, Pope Francis’s Fiducia Supplicans—which permits non-liturgical blessings of individuals in irregular unions—has stirred both hope and controversy. Can Pope Leo XIV, like Leo II, offer a theologically coherent response that maintains doctrinal clarity while extending pastoral mercy? The Church today needs leadership that refuses both cruelty and compromise—a heart formed in truth, but also a mind trained in patience and charity.
Leo VII: Reforming the Church from Within
Pope Leo VII, who served in the mid-10th century, is less renowned but no less instructive. He engaged deeply with ecclesial reform, particularly in Germany, where corruption and secular influence threatened to derail the local Church. His correspondence with the Archbishop of Mainz shows a pope committed to strategic, personal intervention.
This is a model Pope Leo XIV would do well to emulate, especially in light of current challenges facing the German Church. The “Synodal Way”—with its proposals for lay governance, blessings of same-sex unions, and discussions of women’s ordination—has prompted serious concerns about ecclesial unity. A pope who responds not merely through documents but through direct engagement—both listening and correcting—will be essential for maintaining communion.
Leo IX: Discipline and the Wounds of Division
Another important predecessor, Leo IX (1049–54), is remembered for his commitment to Church reform and discipline. Working closely with Hildebrand (later Pope Gregory VII), he tackled simony and clerical corruption with vigor. Yet his pontificate also coincided with the tragic East–West Schism in 1054—a division whose wounds still ache.
Pope Leo XIV inherits both these legacies: the duty to purify the Church internally and the longing to heal its external divisions. With a resurgence in Orthodox-Catholic dialogue and new opportunities for ecumenical cooperation, might this pope seek to build bridges, not by sacrificing truth but by offering gestures of humility, mutual respect, and prayerful solidarity?
Leo X: A Cautionary Tale
Of all the Leos, Pope Leo X (1513–21) stands as a warning. A Medici prince, he presided over a lavish, politically entangled papacy infamous for selling indulgences and turning a deaf ear to reformers. His papacy gave Martin Luther exactly the scandal he needed to catalyze the Protestant Reformation.
For Pope Leo XIV, the lesson is sobering. In an age of media spectacle, political influence, and internal branding, the Church must resist the temptation to become an image-conscious institution rather than a suffering servant. The new pope must resist the urge to be a celebrity cleric and instead embody the humility of Christ—willing even to be unpopular if that is what fidelity to the gospel demands.
Leo XIII: Social Doctrine and Anglican Hope
Finally, Pope Leo XIII (1878–1903) stands as a towering intellectual and social voice. His landmark encyclical Rerum Novarum laid the foundation for modern Catholic social teaching—addressing labour rights, economic justice, and human dignity. Today’s global crises—ecological degradation, economic disparity, forced migration—call for a papacy that builds on this legacy with fresh urgency.
Leo XIII was also a complex figure in ecumenical relations. His 1896 bull Apostolicae Curae declared Anglican orders “absolutely null and utterly void”—a decision that remains painful for many in the Anglican Communion. Could Pope Leo XIV, without retreating from Catholic teaching, offer a new gesture of reconciliation—perhaps recognizing Anglican sacraments as “valid but irregular,” or initiating a deeper conversation about shared mission and sacramental life?
A Name, A Call, A Future
The name Leo means lion. It connotes strength, nobility, and courage. But those qualities are not given automatically by papal election—they must be lived, often painfully, in the crucible of controversy and the silence of prayer.
As Pope Leo XIV begins his ministry, he carries not only the weight of his office but the echo of all the Leos before him. Each left a mark on history—some glorious, some grievous. The Church now watches and prays: What kind of Leo will this new pontiff become?
Will he defend doctrine like Leo the Great, discern with mercy like Leo II, reform with integrity like Leo IX? Will he rise to today’s moral challenges with the voice of Leo XIII—or fall into the pitfalls of Leo X?
Time will tell. But we who look on from the global pews and chancels of the Church must commit to praying for him—fervently, consistently, and hopefully.
May the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Peter, and Pope St. Leo the Great intercede for Pope Leo XIV. And may he, by God’s grace, be the lion we need in this age of noise, fracture, and hope.
Viva il Papa.
Simangaliso Magudulela is a lay minister at St. John’s Church, Johannesburg, and holds a B.Th. from St. Augustine College of South Africa.
