Two days after Cardinal Robert Prevost accepted the vote of his brothers in the College of Cardinals to become Pope, the newly minted Leo XIV outlined the priorities of his papacy. As of May 8, 2026, the cardinals and the Church at large are provided with the opportunity to assess Leo’s first year on the papal throne and examine how he has exercised his office.
In some quarters, a lively debate over Leo’s character still rages with as much intensity as it did during the first hours after he waved to the cheering crowds from the Loggia on the evening of his election. Many have seen their wildly varying predictions remain unfulfilled; others are still waiting for him to reveal himself, while a smaller number have determined that the man we see already is the real Leo.
