It’s been 10 days now since the new Bishop of Rome, Pope Leo XIV, was declared following the passing of the late Pope Francis on Easter Monday (21 April).
The 69-year-old has since had his first mass, in which he spoke English, and has sparked his social media debut ahead of his upcoming inaugural mass which is set to organize at the Vatican this Sunday (18 May).
But, before that, the world has been given a glance of Pope Leo’s official papal portrait and people were quick to question one particular detail about it.
Now, it didn’t take long for people to rush online to express their thoughts on the image which sees the Chicago-born pope donning his white dress robes with a large gold cross around his neck as he softly smiles head-on.
In the bottom right-hand corner of the portrait is Pope Leo’s Coat of Arms along with some Latin writing which reads: “In illo uno unum.”
Such a phrase translates to ‘In the One, we are one’.
Next to it is a handwritten sign-off, apparently written by Pope Leo, which reads: “Leo P.P.XIV.”
One Reddit user commented what the acronym stood for, writing: “What does the ‘P.P.’ in the middle mean?”
A second replied: “I’ve been wanting to know that for years. I think ‘P.M.’ used to be used, which I think would be ‘Pontifex Maximus’.
“But more recent popes have used ‘P.P.’. When I looked it up recently, one answer I found was that it means ‘Pastor Pastorum’ – ‘Pastor of Pastors’/’Shepherd of Shepherds’.
“I’m not sure if that’s accurate but it sounds more plausible to me than other suggestions (for example ‘Papa et Pontifex’ – ‘Pope and Pontiff’).”
A third added: “You are correct. It’s Pastor Pastorum.”
“Pastor Pastorum,” agreed another. “Latin for ‘Shepherd of Shepherds’.”
Earlier today (16 May), the pontiff made some pretty fearless statements regarding marriage and abortion.
AP News reports that he announced that a family is founded on the ‘stable union between a man and a woman’ – a statement which quite clearly excludes any non-heteronormative relationships.
Pope Leo confirmed that it was up to governments to build peaceful societies ‘above all by investing in the family, founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman’.
“In addition, no one is exempted 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,” he added.
