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At 18:08 of May 8, 2025, in the fourth round of voting on the second day of the conclave, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected Pope. It is not exclusive, or any mystery. These days we have lived what is possibly the most broadcast conclave in the history of humanity and, at this point of the week, almost everyone knows everything that needs to be known about the new Vicar of Rome.
In fact, everyone knows too much about Leo XIV.
A series of extraordinarily well measured gestures. Today, Italian newspapers comment that Prevost He took many votes already in the first vote of the conclave. It is not something we can know for sure, but that is the explanation that his speech from the balcony was so long. He had time to think about words, gestures and emphasis.
Also in the symbols. Leon XIV went out to the Plaza de San Pedro dressed in the traditional habits of the Supreme Pontiff. Something that Francisco did not do. And, in fact, he has chosen a very rich name symbolically.
Everyone is talking about Leon XIII (“father” of the rich social doctrine of the Church, but also of Syllabus, the great refutation of the ‘main errors’ of the modern world); But you could talk about Leon i (whose papacy, According to Benedict XVI“It was undoubtedly one of the most important in the history of the Church”) or even Fray Leonone of the closest collaborators of San Francisco de Asís.
And that has been noticed … “The decisions of Pope Leo XIV of adopting a traditional name and appearing with the traditional papal outfit – as Benedict XVI did and not Francisco – are small but encouraging signs of a man who subordinates to the papal trade and understands the importance of continuity with the past.” Those words are from Edward Fester One of the best known conservative theologians today. A few minutes later, I even praised his temperament. Burke either SarahFrancisco’s staunch enemies have also been hopeful.
On the opposite side, Jesuit James Martín (one of the church members closest to the LGTB opening) He said he knew that “Pope Leo XIV is a kind, open, humble, modest, determined, worker, reliable and feet on the ground. A brilliant choice.”
How is it possible? Because, even if it may not seem, the reading that the media are making of why Leon XVI has been chosen ignores the dynamics and political of the Church.
The constant temptation to interpret what happens in the world according to the narrow framework of socio -political references in which we move, makes the debate about the conclave seen as primary to Pope: but without trying to understand what is happening in an international organization with thousands of problems and very complicated solutions.
Things like flying old Premost tweets against Trump’s immigration policytake advantage to ask that there are women in the conclave or the widespread regrets because lTo Church doctrine about abortion is “outdated”They show that these last days have been nothing more than a huge projection exercise.
In illo one unum. His pontificate’s motto is not a coincidence. In addition to his 12 years as a prior of the Augustinians (a huge order with global implementation), Prevost was known, above all, by The diplomatic feat that led to closing the agreement of the last synod of the bishops in which the most reformist groups and the most traditionalists were about to declare war. As the motto you have chosen suggest: it seems that its mission will be in tenders and heal a Catholic Church that He has been “harassed by the wolves for many years”.
However, hope has a dark back. In the same way that all ecclesiastical groups have reasons to be hopeful, everyone has reasons to walk. No one knows for sure what will do or stop doing Leon XVI. As in the case of Francisco or Juan Pablo II, the choice of someone relatively unknown in Rome opens the set of play in a radical and unexpected way.
And that, in an organization of the size and power of the Catholic Church that is a lot.
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