A Latin motto at the heart of the pontificateAs soon as his election was announced, Pope Leo XIV unveiled a brief but profound motto: In Illo Uno Unum, which in Latin means "One in Him who is One". Just three words, but of immense theological and spiritual density. The phrase is directly inspired by Christ's prayer in the Gospel according to Saint John (17:21): "That they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you, that they may all be one in us."In choosing this motto, Leo XIV was not proposing a political slogan or a simplified message, but an invitation to unity rooted in God, a unity that comes not from human efforts or a fragile consensus, but from a deep spiritual communion with Christ. Read more...

A spiritual and pastoral filiationIn his first speeches, Leo XIV never ceased to pay tribute to his predecessor, Pope Francis, whom he called "a father in the faith" and "a model of a universal pastor". Their relationship is not merely ceremonial: it reveals a genuine spiritual continuity, rooted in the same vision of the Church, turned towards the peripheries, mercy, simplicity of life and listening to the Spirit.Pope Francis has marked the contemporary history of the Church by his desire to desacralise the pontifical office, to open the Church to those wounded by life, and to place the poor back at the centre of the Gospel message. Leo XIV, while having his own style, takes up this breath: he does not seek to break with the past, but to deepen it, to extend it, to make it bear fruit. Read more...

A simple start to his pontificateOnce elected, Pope Leo XIV was surprised by the sobriety and depth of his first gestures. Far from staging a solemn ceremony or demonstrating his authority, he preferred discretion, silent prayer and a deeply fraternal attitude towards the crowd gathered in St Peter's Square. Before even speaking, he invited everyone to pray for him, bowing for a long time in silence.This inaugural gesture set the tone for a pontificate centred on evangelical humility and dependence on grace. By choosing to be called "the Bishop of Rome" rather than "the Holy Father", Leo XIV recalled the essence of his ministry: to serve, not dominate, and to walk with the people of God, not above them. Read more...

A youth rooted in faithBefore being elected Bishop of Rome, Leo XIV was called Joseph Matthew Langston. He was born in a small town in the south of the United States, into a modest Catholic family of Italian and African-American origin. His childhood was marked by a simple faith, transmitted through family prayer, parish commitments and a life of closeness to the humblest.Early on, he showed a profound taste for reading, silence and the study of Scripture. But it was above all his teenage years, lived in a context of social fracture, that shaped his view of the world. He grew up in an environment where injustice, poverty and violence were palpable, but where solidarity and faith remained alive. It was in this tension between human suffering and spiritual hope that his vocation was born. Read more...

A visual and spiritual languageEvery pope, from the beginning of his pontificate, chooses a coat of arms and a motto that convey his vision of the Church and his spiritual mission. Much more than mere ornaments, these elements constitute a symbolic profession of faith, a silent but powerful message intended to guide the faithful throughout their pontificate. For Leo XIV, this language takes on a particular resonance: a man of prayer, but also a man of strong words and simple gestures, he wanted everything in his coat of arms to express his fidelity to the Gospel, his passion for unity and his concern for the peripheries.His coat of arms and motto were not designed to flatter or impress, but to enlighten. They tell the story of a journey: that of a pastor rooted in tradition, but looking to the future. Read more...