It’s been 10 days since Pope Leo XIV was elected following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday (April 21). Since then, the 69-year-old Chicago-born pontiff has delivered his first mass in English and made his social media debut.
Ahead of his official inaugural mass this Sunday (May 18), the Vatican released his official papal portrait — and one small detail caught the internet’s attention.
In the bottom corner of the image, beneath Pope Leo’s serene smile and white papal robes, sits his Coat of Arms alongside the Latin phrase: “In illo uno unum” (“In the One, we are one”) and his signature: “Leo P.P. XIV.”
Curious viewers took to Reddit to ask: What does “P.P.” stand for? After some debate, most users agreed it means Pastor Pastorum — Latin for “Shepherd of Shepherds.”
But while the portrait sparked intrigue, Pope Leo’s remarks this week stirred stronger reactions. Speaking on May 16, he stated that families should be founded on “the stable union between a man and a woman” — comments criticized for excluding non-traditional families.
He added that societies must protect the dignity of all people, especially “the most frail and vulnerable,” including the unborn, elderly, unemployed, and immigrants.
The new pope’s era is just beginning — and already making waves.
