Pope Leo XIVs official portrait has been released and people were quick to question one detail
It’s been ten days since Pope Leo XIV was elected as the new Bishop of Rome, following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, April 21. At 69 years old, the Chicago-born pontiff has already celebrated his first Mass—delivering part of it in English—and launched his presence on social media ahead of his official inaugural Mass scheduled for this Sunday, May 18, at the Vatican.
Before that major event, the Vatican released Pope Leo’s official papal portrait—and one detail immediately caught the internet’s attention.
In the image, Pope Leo is seen wearing traditional white papal vestments and a large gold cross around his neck, smiling gently at the camera. In the lower right corner, his Coat of Arms is displayed beside a Latin phrase: “In illo uno unum,” which translates to “In the One, we are one.”
Beneath that is a handwritten signature: “Leo P.P. XIV.” The abbreviation sparked online curiosity. One Reddit user asked, “What does the ‘P.P.’ in the middle mean?”
Another responded, “I’ve been wondering that for years. I know ‘P.M.’ used to be used for Pontifex Maximus, but more recent popes use ‘P.P.’ I read it stands for ‘Pastor Pastorum’—‘Shepherd of Shepherds.’ That seems more plausible than ‘Papa et Pontifex’—‘Pope and Pontiff.’”
Others chimed in, agreeing: “Yes, Pastor Pastorum,” confirming the Latin title that emphasizes the pope’s role as a spiritual leader to other church leaders.
In his address earlier today, May 16, Pope Leo made bold statements about marriage and social responsibility. According to AP News, he emphasized that family must be built on the “stable union between a man and a woman,” a view that pointedly excludes non-heteronormative relationships. He urged governments to invest in families as the foundation for peaceful societies.
He also spoke broadly about the sanctity of life and the importance of dignity for all individuals, stating, “No one is exempt from striving to ensure respect for the dignity of every person, especially the most frail and vulnerable—from the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike.”