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Leo XIV – a bridge builder for the world
Yesterday, millions of eyes were focused on the façade of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. White smoke had just risen from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and people from all over the world were watching, either live or on a screen, the two curtains behind which a new pope was standing. Above the loggia, the balcony from which the popes give their blessing, is the abbreviation “Pont. Max.” for Pontifex Maximus. It is an old title that dates back to the time of the Roman emperors. Pope Leo the Great was one of the first popes to give the title ‘Pontifex’ – bridge builder – a deeper Christian meaning. The title became a symbol of the mission of the successor of Peter: to connect people with God and God with people in Christ. The Pope as a relationship engineer, as a bridge builder between heaven and earth.
“Peace be with you”
– with these words, the newly elected Pope, Robert F. Cardinal Prevost, began his papacy. He is to be called Leo XIV, perhaps a reference to that great bridge-builder in history, Pope Leo I, who is also rightly called “the Great”. Pope Leo had proven himself in many ways as a peacemaker and bridge-builder at a time of conflict within the Church. However, he drew his strength from the testimony of the Risen One, Jesus Christ, who, through His death and resurrection, built the greatest bridge imaginable in all of history: the one between God and man. What is more, Jesus was not only the bridge, but united in his person the fullness of the Godhead and perfect humanity.
It was precisely this unity that was put to the test in the time of Pope Leo. Why can someone be God and man at the same time? A demigod? A hybrid? As the bishops in Chalcedon pondered this question, Pope Leo wrote a letter to Flavius, his episcopal brother and colleague in Constantinople. In it, he explained that humanity and the divinity of Christ belong together “undivided and unmixed” (see also YOUCAT 77). The letter was read out at the assembly of bishops. “Through Leo, Peter has spoken,” the bishops exclaimed. The unity of the Church and peace were restored. Pope Leo had built bridges. Just like the first Leo, our Pope also wants to build bridges in Christ: “Christ goes before us. The world needs his light. Humanity needs him as a bridge to God and his love.” It is not without reason that his motto as a cardinal is the words of St. Augustine: “Nos multi in illo uno unum” (In this one (Christ) we are one to many).
Pruning hook and ploughshare
“This is the peace of the risen Christ, a disarming peace and a disarming, humble, persevering peace. It comes from God, from God who loves us all unconditionally.” The peace of Christ is a force that conquers wars. Perhaps this is also a nod to Pope Leo I, who confronted Attila, King of the Huns, on horseback without fear when he wanted to destroy the city of Rome with his army. His words brought peace and persuaded the feared conqueror to leave the peninsula. The love of God is the fire that “beats their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks.” (cf. Isa 2:4).
We need such a revolution of peace today. We need bridges across the rifts that divide our society: between rich and poor, powerful and powerless, perpetrators and victims. The revolution of the Church, however, is not one of hatred, but of love: not against the rich, but for the outcasts. As a bishop in Peru, Pope Leo experienced these tensions at first hand – not just observing them but suffering with them. The heart of the good shepherd beats within him: a heart for the poor, for the forgotten, for those on the margins. And so, he calls out to us: “All of you, brothers and sisters of Rome, of Italy, of the whole world – let us be a synodal Church, a Church that sets out, that is on the move, that tirelessly seeks peace, that lives charity and, above all, draws near to those who suffer.” Like his namesake, his heart beats for the social plight of people. Pope Leo XIII was the first pope to speak out on behalf of exploited workers at the end of the 19th century. With his encyclical “Rerum novarum” (“On the new things”, referring to the social upheavals of his time) in 1891, he laid the foundation for what we today call the social doctrine of the Church: a teaching on work, justice and the political commitment of Christians. DOCAT offers a great overview of this social-ethical commitment of the Church – from Leo XIII to Francis (and who knows maybe soon Leo XIV too 😉).
Mother Mary
At the end of his speech, Pope Leo XIV once again gave us a tongue-in-cheek echo of his namesake predecessor.
Leo XIII was a great admirer of Mary. He dedicated more than five encyclicals to the rosary. No speech, no letter without a glance at Mary, the mother of Jesus.
And so, this day also ended on a Marian note:
“Today is the memorial day of Our Lady of Pompei, the day of supplication. Our Mother Mary wants to walk with us, be close to us, accompany us with her love and intercession. That is why I would like to pray with you – for this new mission, for the whole Church, for peace in the world. Let us ask Mary together for this special grace.”
Dear Pope Leo XIV.,
With you we look to Mary – and ask her for her motherly protection for your new office as bridge-builder of the universal Church. We welcome you with all our hearts as our new shepherd!
Your task is great. So is your responsibility. But you are not going alone. We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide, strengthen and accompany you. And we promise you today:
- We will accompany you in prayer.
- We will continue to work with a missionary heart for the young people of this world.
- We will remain faithful to you in the proclamation of Christ – our bridge to the Father and to all people.
YOUCAT Digital
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