Pope Leo marks his first year at the helm of the Catholic Church tomorrow, with greater public visibility and an increased schedule, after becoming more vocal on the world stage and drawing the ire of US President Donald Trump.
The first US-born pope, who strongly condemned war and despotism during a recent tour of four African countries, is expected to publish his first extensive doctrinal document this month and is also preparing for a week-long visit to Spain in June.
The lion, who was relatively reserved in public during the first 10 months of his pontificate before becoming a target of Trump's attacks after criticizing the US-Israeli war against Iran, will also have five trips within Italy by July.
As the pace quickens, the pope is likely to continue with the new, more assertive tone he first demonstrated in Africa, analysts say, as the Vatican grows increasingly concerned about the direction in which global leadership is heading.
"Pope Leo has become a unique, clear voice in our global community about the need for peace and the protection of human dignity," Washington Cardinal Robert McElroy, a close ally of the pope, told Reuters.
The Pope is scheduled to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio today, who expects to have a "frank conversation" with the Pope about the policies of the Trump administration.
In the first months of his pontificate, Leo largely stayed away from sensitive topics. However, in September he began criticizing Trump's tough immigration policies, which provoked a negative reaction among conservative American Catholics, Reuters recalls.
After criticizing the war in Iran, Trump showered him with insults on social media, calling him "weak" and "terrible."
The Pope will spend the first anniversary of his pontificate visiting the Italian cities of Pompeii and Naples, and on July 4 he will visit Lampedusa, an island south of Sicily that has become known in recent years as the first port of call for desperate migrants embarking on the dangerous journey from North Africa to Europe.
The choice to visit the island on the day the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary of independence has drawn attention, at a time when the Trump administration has claimed that Europe is facing a “civilizational erasure” due to immigration. The visit was announced in February, shortly after the Vatican said Leo would not travel to his homeland this year.
Chicago Cardinal Blaise Cupich told CBS News in April that the pope's visit to the island "is sending a message that his highest priority right now is to be with those who are oppressed and marginalized."
The Vatican has not announced a release date for the pope's first extensive doctrinal document, known as an encyclical, but it is widely expected to be published by the end of this month.
The text is expected to address a range of ethical challenges facing the world, including the rise of artificial intelligence. The pope is also likely to speak about current conflicts in the world and his leadership.
David Gibson, a Vatican expert and academic at Fordham University, said Leo would address universal values, not just Trump or any other specific leader.
“If any particular leader feels hurt by Leo’s words, perhaps that is his problem, not the pope’s,” Gibson said.
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