AGENCY
new delhi, MAY 12
Cardinal Robert Prevost on being chosen as the Pope has chosen the papal name Leo XIV. Though there are no written rules behind choosing the name, they usually choose names that have some significance or meaning in the Catholic tradition.
Over the years, popes have often chosen the names of their immediate or distant predecessors out of respect or admiration. Sometimes, it also signals the desire to follow in their footsteps as well.
The name Leo has been chosen 13 times before.
In the case of Pope Francis, he had chosen the name honouring St Francis of Assisi, known for his ministry to the poor and underprivileged.
Pope Francis had also said that he was inspired by his Brazilian friend Cardinal Claudio Hummes.
Though the new Pope has not yet revealed why he chose to be called Leo XIV, religious theoreticians believe that there may be many reasons.
“The name ‘Leo’ is a deep sign of commitment to social issues,” Natalia Imperatori-Lee, the chair of religious studies at Manhattan University, told The Associated Press. The choice of the name could also mean that he chooses to continue in Pope Francis’s footsteps, she added.
Pope Leo I, also known as St Leo the Great, was pontiff between 440 and 461 AD. He was the 45th pope in history and was known for his commitment to peace. The last Pope to choose the name Leo was Pope Leo XIII, an Italian whose baptismal name was Vincenzo Gioacchino Pecci. Elected in 1878, he was the 256th occupant of the throne of St Peter and led the Catholic Church until his death in 1903.
He is known as a pope who was dedicated to social policies and social justice.
Leo is among one of the popular Pope names chosen along with John, Gregory, Benedict, Clement, Innocent, Clement and Pius.
