As the world welcomes a new leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Robert Francis Prevost who will be known as Pope Leo XIV we take a look at Pope Leo’s daily duties and the difficult challenges that lie ahead
Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the leader of the Catholic Church following two days of voting by the conclave in Rome, but what exactly are his duties?
White smoke billowed from the chimney above the Sistine Chapel in Rome, Italy, earlier this week, signifying that a cardinal had secured the required two-thirds majority vote.
The new pope, US cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, will be known as Pope Leo XIV. While there are no written rules or official criteria for a pope’s name, leaders choose names that have meaning in the Catholic tradition. Leo has been chosen 13 times before and is a throwback to Pope Leo the Great or Pope Leo 1.
The new Pope’s chosen name offers key clues as to how his rule over the 2,000-year-old church will differ from Pope Francis’.
The last Pope Leo was a reformer known for addressing workers’ rights during the industrial age, perhaps suggesting the new leader will rule with a similar progressive mindset.
Now that he has chosen his name, Pope Leo XIV will be tasked with tackling the Vatican’s estimated £70 million debt as well as leading the increasingly diverse Catholic Church – but what are his tasks on a day-to-day basis?
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There’s no doubt a Pope’s role is a busy one and it’s his job to make decisions on issues of faith and morality for Catholics throughout the world. He also presides over religious celebrations of all the major church festivals of the year inside Saint Peter’s, including Christmas and Easter.
The Pope also leads annual events, including Christmas Mass, the New Year’s Parade, and the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) on Good Friday.
Past popes have celebrated Mass every morning in their private chapel before spending time in their office sifting through paperwork. Prayer and meditation are also a huge part of the pope’s schedule throughout the day.
Every Sunday, the Pope hosts a blessing for tourists and pilgrims from the window of his private study overlooking Saint Peter’s Square, Rome.
Another of the pope’s duties is to meet with more than 5,000 bishops from around the world at least once every five years —roughly 1,000 a year or 20 a week.
Meanwhile, the Pope receives several visits from heads of state, ambassadors and other representatives throughout the year and travels outside of Rome frequently for engagements.
Foreign travel has become an important part of the Pope’s duties and was heavily supported by Pope Francis, who often spoke out about the importance of coming together.
This inclusive attitude is why the Pope also receives many visitors and meets with important leaders and celebrities from all over the world. Pope Francis met with both former President Obama and current President of the United States Donald Trump, discussing issues such as climate change, the refugee crisis, and terrorism.
Being both the head of the state and the Church, the Pope’s duties are a mix of religious, political and moral. Previous popes have also met celebrities like Angelina Jolie, who has been praised for her humanitarian work, and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio. The new Pope started work less than 24 hours after being elected and is already getting stuck straight into his new role.
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