A few days after his election, Pope Leo XIV began to outline the first strokes of his thinking, and already showed nuances that differentiate him from his predecessor, Francis, particularly in issues related to sexual diversity.
In one of his first public speeches, addressed to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See —composed of representatives from 180 countries—, he stated that governments must work on strengthening the family, which he explicitly defined as “the stable union between a man and a woman”.
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As journalist Sergio Rubin explained on TN, although this position does not differ from the official doctrine of the Vatican nor from the expressions of Pope Francis, the gesture of Leo XIV to include this definition in his first international diplomatic intervention —and not in a pastoral framework— was read as a clear sign that there will be no concessions or ambiguities on this point.
While maintaining the same conception of marriage within the Church, Francis had shown a more open attitude, accompanying people from the LGBTIQ+ community and supporting the civil recognition of unions between people of the same sex, arguing that the Church does not govern civil society.
In the same vein, one of the pontiff’s brothers recently stated to the press that he believes Leo XIV will adhere to the Church’s traditional position on same-sex marriage. “I don’t think he will leave room for speculation,” he pointed out.
On the other hand, he considered that the United States is “going in the wrong direction” on immigration, in line with the criticism already held by the Vatican against Donald Trump’s policies.
Beyond this doctrinal stance, Pope Leo XIV is also demonstrating a strong vocation for intervening in the main global conflict scenarios.
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From the very day he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s, the pontiff called for peace and offered the Vatican as a venue for possible negotiations, especially in the context of the war between Russia and Ukraine.
In his time as a cardinal, he was categorical in his condemnation of the Russian invasion, and now, as pope, he has shown himself willing to facilitate any dialogue process that contributes to the resolution of the conflict.
The pontificate of Leo XIV thus begins with a clear profile. On the one hand, with doctrinal firmness on issues such as family and migration. On the other hand, with an active diplomatic vocation, in continuity with Francis’s line but with a more emphatic tone.
