Two days, that is how short the conclave of the 133 voting cardinals lasted in Rome's Sistine Chapel. On 8 May, they chose a successor to Pope Francis, who had died shortly before, and white smoke rose from the Chapel's chimney. “The speed with which the conclave was over shows that the choice for Pope Leo XIV was widely supported,” says Jurijn Timon de Vos, Church historian at Radboud University. And yet, it was a surprising decision, he says. “An American pope is historically not an obvious choice. The United States and the Catholic Church are both considered superpowers; uniting the two in a single person was long seen as undesirable.”
2025: The year of white smoke and a surprising new leader
It seemed unthinkable for a long time: an American pope. Yet American Robert Prevost, better known as Pope Leo XIV, has been at the head of the Catholic Church since last spring. How did this happen and what is remarkable about it? “He seems to be not so much a ‘thesis pope’, as a ‘synthesis pope’.”
Melting pot and shift
There are several reasons why we do now have an American pope, according to De Vos. “First of all, Leo XIV himself: he has Peruvian as well as US citizenship, having worked as a missionary in Peru for 20 years. His father has Italian roots, his mother Spanish-Creole. And he grew up within American Catholicism, a melting pot of immigrants.”
In addition, according to De Vos, we are witnessing a geopolitical shift. “The US is seen less and less as an unchallenged superpower. The global centre of gravity has for decades been shifting from the west to the south towards Africa, South America and Asia. In choosing Leo XIV, the Catholic Church is anticipating these changes. This pope is a mediating figure: he knows both the western context and that of the global south. That makes him incredibly interesting.”
His predecessor Francis brought Leo to Rome in 2023 as head of the Dicastery for Bishops: the influential department that prepares episcopal appointments. De Vos: “He has since learned about the Vatican's administrative apparatus, but did not disappear into it so deeply as to lose sight of the outside world. He was at home in it, but not yet fused with it.”
Continuity and individual emphasis
According to De Vos, it is important not to judge a pope by political standards. “From politicians, we often expect clear choices after 100 days. With a pope, it works differently: historically, in the early stages, he mainly continues to follow the course set out by his predecessor. And that is precisely what Pope Leo is doing. Like Francis, he is clearly focusing on alleviating poverty. We see this in his first apostolic exhortation: a papal document that Francis had already started working on. It states that poverty is not an individual failure, but stems from structures.”
This idea clashes with the western tendency to individualise poverty, explains de Vos. “Leo speaks of ‘structures of sinfulness’: indifference, selfishness and an economy that kills. He therefore advocates structural changes. So not just charity, but a change in mindset. This ties in with his experiences of poverty in Peru. There too, no one chose to be poor.”
But how is Pope Leo different from his predecessor? “It starts with his choice of name: Leo XIV, not Francis II,” says De Vos. “The previous Pope Leo, Leo XIII (pope from 1878 to 1903), was known for his commitment to social issues and his diplomatic, milder tone. Pope Francis was temperamental and assertive, ‘a thesis pope’ is how I would characterise him. In contrast, Leo XIV seems to be more of a ‘synthesis pope’: more patient, focused on bringing people together. In addition, compared to Francis, his clothing is more colourful, less austere.”
Diplomacy and internal challenges
When it comes to diplomacy, Pope Leo wishes to stand above individual parties, notes De Vos. “This is apparent from the trips he has made, for example to Turkey and Lebanon: countries where Christians from a minority. Lebanon in particular is a country of deep division, threat of war and economic malaise, but the pope went there on his own initiative because of the cry of poverty and the urgence of peace. The video footage of emotional Christians and Muslims showed that they felt seen again. Pope Leo wants to be a symbol of connectedness.”
He is also facing challenges within the Catholic Church, says De Vos. For example, with the synodal process, Pope Francis took steps towards less hierarchy, and for a Church in which listening and dialogue play a central role. “Pope Leo has adopted this process, despite criticism because women and minorities are also prominently invited to the table. The aim is not to become a democratic church, but a synodal one: focused on joint listening.”
There are also internal debates around the liturgy and the role of women. De Vos: “Some groups within the Catholic Church want to return to older liturgical practices. This requires Pope Leo to strike a balance between uniformity and diversity. Regarding the role of women, for example as deacons, the pope is awaiting the results of research. The question is what decisions he will ultimately take.”
De Vos concludes: “This pope is deliberately opting for the middle road and listening to different parties. The future will tell whether he lives up to all his potential as a synthesis pope. But as a rule, each era tends to get the pope it deserves.”
End-of-year series
This story is part of the End-of-year series. Especially for this series, the editors of Radboud Recharge, together with scientists, look back on seven important moments from 2025. Curious about the other articles? View the entire series here.
Photo: Ágatha Depiné via Unsplash
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