Pope Leo XIV explains his choice of name

On May 8, the Catholic Church received news with immense joy and historic significance as the words rang out from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica: “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: habemus Papam!” – “I announce to you a great joy: we have a Pope!”

The announcement was made by French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, Protodeacon of the College of Cardinals, who declared:
“Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Robertum Franciscum, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Prevost, qui sibi nomen imposuit Leone XIV.” — “The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord, Lord Robert Francis, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church Prevost, who has taken the name Leo the Fourteenth.”

With this, the world was introduced to Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.

While his choice of the name Leo sparked immediate interest and speculation, the Holy Father offered a personal explanation in a video released by the Vatican two days after his election, alongside the release of his official papal portraits.

Speaking in the video, sighted by Catholic Trends, Pope Leo stated:

“I chose to take the name Leo XIV. There are different reasons for this, but mainly because Pope Leo XIII in his historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution. In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.”

Pope Leo further mentioned that the Church must stand as a moral guide in rapidly changing times, and that reviving the name Leo reflects a desire to reconnect with a tradition of strong, socially conscious leadership.

The decision to take the name of Leo XIII, whose legacy includes championing workers’ rights and the dignity of labour, is widely seen as a signal of the new Pope’s intent to address modern socio-economic and technological challenges with moral clarity.

Many believe that the name Leo XIV will define the tone of his pontificate, rooted in historical awareness yet decisively focused on the urgent questions of the present, including artificial intelligence, labour justice, social inequality, and ecological responsibility.