VATICAN CITY – Pope Leo concludes his inaugural year as head of the Catholic Church on Friday, having evolved from a relatively unknown figure into a bold advocate on the international stage, despite facing criticism from President Donald Trump.
The pontiff, who became the first American to hold the papal office, has significantly increased his public appearances and travel schedule while becoming more vocal about global conflicts and human rights issues, particularly following his recent tour of four African nations where he condemned warfare and authoritarian rule.
Leo is scheduled to publish his inaugural major teaching document this month and has plans for a week-long visit to Spain in June, marking a dramatic shift from his quieter approach during his initial 10 months in office before drawing Trump’s attacks over his criticism of the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.
The Vatican has also announced five domestic trips within Italy extending through July, reflecting the pope’s increasingly active schedule as church officials express growing concerns about global leadership trends.
Washington Cardinal Robert McElroy, a close ally of the pope, described Leo’s transformation to Reuters: “Pope Leo has become the singular clarion voice in our global community about the need for peace and safeguarding human dignity.”
McElroy added that the pontiff “has shown an ever-growing willingness to apply the Gospel with specificity to the glaring violations of human rights that surround us,” referencing the biblical accounts of Jesus’s teachings.
This Thursday, Leo is scheduled to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, marking his first face-to-face encounter with a Trump administration official in nearly 12 months.
According to the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, Rubio anticipates a “frank conversation” regarding Trump administration policies, as the president continued his criticism of the pope during an appearance on Hugh Hewitt’s conservative radio program this week.
FROM UNKNOWN TO GLOBAL FIGURE
The current pope, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, was chosen by the College of Cardinals on May 8, 2025, to guide the 1.4 billion-member church following a two-day closed-door election in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.
He took over from Pope Francis, who spent 12 years working to modernize the traditionally conservative institution and make it more accessible to contemporary society.
Prevost had served for many years as a missionary and bishop in Peru before joining the Vatican’s senior leadership in 2023. While he quietly supported Francis’s papacy, he remained largely unknown internationally and, though mentioned on some papal candidate lists, wasn’t considered a leading contender.
During his early months as pope, Leo avoided controversial topics. However, he began speaking out against Trump’s strict immigration measures in September, prompting pushback from conservative American Catholics.
Following his criticism of the Iranian war, Trump launched a series of social media attacks against the pope, labeling him “weak” and “terrible.”
During his 10-day African journey in April, the pope cautioned that the desires of the world’s wealthiest individuals pose threats to global peace, condemned international law violations by “neocolonial” powers, and declared that the world was “being ravaged by a handful of tyrants.”
Leo subsequently explained to journalists that his African tour speeches were prepared weeks in advance and weren’t specifically targeting Trump.
ITALIAN VISITS PLANNED, NOT AMERICAN
For his first anniversary, Leo will travel to the Italian cities of Pompei and Naples, located approximately 250 kilometers south of Rome, where he will honor a Catholic shrine and participate in multiple events.
This marks the beginning of five Italian trips scheduled through July, concluding on July 4 with a visit to Lampedusa, an island south of Sicily that has become the primary arrival point for migrants making dangerous journeys from North Africa to Europe.
The decision to visit this island on America’s 250th independence anniversary has attracted significant attention, particularly as the Trump administration claims Europe faces “civilisational erasure” due to immigration policies. The Vatican announced this visit in February, shortly after confirming that Leo would not visit the United States this year.
Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich told CBS News in April that the pope’s island visit demonstrates he is “sending a message that his top priority right now is to be with those who are downcast and marginalised.”
While the Vatican hasn’t revealed the publication date for Leo’s first comprehensive teaching document, called an encyclical, experts widely expect its release before May ends.
The document is anticipated to tackle various ethical challenges confronting the world, including artificial intelligence development. The pope will likely also address ongoing global conflicts and leadership issues.
David Gibson, a Vatican scholar at Fordham University, noted that Leo will focus on universal principles rather than targeting Trump or any specific leader.
“If a particular leader feels attacked by Leo’s words, maybe that is their problem and not the pope’s,” Gibson stated.
