May 9, 2025 - News
Nashville celebrates first U.S.-born pope
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Pope Leo XIV was elected yesterday as the first pontiff from the United States.
- He was previously known as Robert Prevost, a Chicago native and White Sox fan.
What they're saying: The Rev. Bruce Morrill, a professor at Vanderbilt University, tells Axios that the name Leo is a significant choice.
- "Leo XIII in late 1800s issued the first papal encyclical on a modern social justice issue: On Human Labor."
The big picture: Leo is also the second consecutive pope to come from a religious order. He is part of the Augustinian order. (Pope Francis was a Jesuit.)
- "These are men formed in communal life, shaped by shared vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience," Morrill said. "This makes them adept at and even expecting dialogue, patient listening, communal discernment, forgiveness, and flexibility."