sede vacante—the period when the papal seat is vacant—and ushered in a new era of leadership for the Church.
At 69 years old, the Chicago-born pontiff has already begun making his presence felt. Since his election, he has celebrated his first official mass, notably delivering part of it in English, a choice that surprised many and signaled a possible commitment to a more globally inclusive and accessible papacy. Fluent in multiple languages, Pope Leo XIV has been described by insiders as a “bridge-builder” and a man deeply attuned to both the traditions and tensions of modern Catholicism.
Ahead of his first public mass at the Vatican, scheduled for Sunday, May 18, the Vatican unveiled Pope Leo’s official papal portrait, which quickly became the subject of widespread online discussion and scrutiny—not so much for what it included, but for what it symbolized.