Pope Leo Begins Second Year as Catholic Church Leader

Pope Leo marks the first anniversary of his election as leader of the Catholic Church this Friday. The pontiff has raised his public profile over the past year and intensified his schedule of activities following an initial ten months of a relatively low profile.

The first US-born pope recently completed a four-nation tour of Africa in April. During the trip he condemned war and what he described as despotism. The pope later told reporters that the speeches for the Africa tour had been prepared weeks in advance and were not aimed at any specific leader.

Leo is expected to release his first encyclical this month. The document is anticipated to address ethical challenges including the rise of artificial intelligence as well as ongoing global conflicts and leadership questions. He is scheduled to make a week-long visit to Spain in June and five trips within Italy through July.

His first anniversary on Friday will be spent visiting the cities of Pompei and Naples where he will pay homage at a Catholic shrine and lead several events. The itinerary culminates on July 4 with a visit to the island of Lampedusa, a key arrival point for migrants crossing from North Africa to Europe.

The Vatican announced in February that the pope would not travel to the United States this year.

Pope Leo, formerly known as Cardinal Robert Prevost, was selected by cardinals on May 8, 2025, following a two-day conclave in the Sistine Chapel. He succeeded Pope Francis, who had led the 1.4-billion-member Church for 12 years with an emphasis on opening the institution to the modern world.

Prevost had spent decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru before becoming a senior Vatican official in 2023. He began his papacy as a relatively unknown figure on the world stage and initially avoided hot-button issues. He began criticizing hard-line immigration policies in September.

The pontiff later spoke out against the war in Iran. Washington Cardinal Robert McElroy told Reuters that the pope has become a leading voice on peace and human dignity. "Pope Leo has become the singular clarion voice in our global community about the need for peace and safeguarding human dignity," McElroy said.

The pope is due to meet on Thursday with the US Secretary of State in his first known in-person meeting with a Trump cabinet member in nearly a year. A US ambassador to the Holy See said the official expects a frank conversation on administration policies.

David Gibson, a Vatican expert at Fordham University, said Leo will address universal values. "If a particular leader feels attacked by Leo's words, maybe that is their problem and not the pope's," Gibson said.