It’s been 10 days since the new Bishop of Rome, Pope Leo XIV, was announced after the passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday (April 21).
The 69-year-old has already held his first mass, where he spoke in English, and made his social media debut ahead of his inaugural mass scheduled for this Sunday (May 18) at the Vatican.
Recently, people got a first look at Pope Leo’s official papal portrait, which sparked some curiosity.
The image shows the Chicago-born pope in his white robes, wearing a large gold cross, smiling gently at the camera.
In the bottom right corner of the portrait is his Coat of Arms and a Latin phrase: “In illo uno unum,” which means “In the One, we are one.”
Next to it is a handwritten signature, likely by Pope Leo himself, saying: “Leo P.P.XIV.”
One Reddit user asked what the “P.P.” stood for, writing: “What does the ‘P.P.’ in the middle mean?”
Another commented: “I’ve wondered that for years. I think ‘P.M.’ used to be used, which stands for ‘Pontifex Maximus.'”
“But more recent popes have been using ‘P.P.’. When I checked recently, one explanation I came across was that it stands for ‘Pastor Pastorum’ — meaning ‘Pastor of Pastors’ or ‘Shepherd of Shepherds.’
“I’m not completely certain if that’s correct, but it seems more believable to me than other ideas, like ‘Papa et Pontifex’ — which translates to ‘Pope and Pontiff.'”
Another person confirmed: “You’re right. It does mean Pastor Pastorum.”
“Pastor Pastorum,” another added, “is Latin for ‘Shepherd of Shepherds.'”
Earlier today (16 May), the pope made some quite bold remarks on topics like marriage and abortion.
Official Portrait of Pope Leo XIV.
byu/ThinWhiteDuke00 inCatholicism
According to AP News, he stated that a family is based on the “stable union between a man and a woman,” a phrase that clearly leaves out any relationships outside of heterosexual norms.
Pope Leo emphasized that it is the responsibility of governments to foster peaceful societies “above all by investing in the family, founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman.”
He also added, “In addition, no one is exempted from striving to ensure respect for the dignity of every person, especially the most frail and vulnerable, from the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike.”