In his first year as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV has sought a pastoral role focused on unity, community and calm leadership in a polarized church and world. Guided by his Augustinian spirituality, Leo has emphasized harmony and healing divisions across the Vatican while shaping his identity as the first American pope.

Pope Leo XIV arrives on his pope mobile before celebrating a Mass for the Jubilee of Families in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, June 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
Pope Leo XIV arrives on his pope mobile before celebrating a Mass for the Jubilee of Families in St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, June 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
Pope Leo XIV is cheered by faithful during a visit to a nursing home in Saurimo, Angola, April 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
Pope Leo XIV is cheered by faithful during a visit to a nursing home in Saurimo, Angola, April 20, 2026. (Credit: Andrew Medichini/AP.)

Pope Leo XIV listens to a girl as he arrives at the Parish of Our Lady of Fatima in Luanda, Angola, April 20, 2026, on the eighth day of an 11-day apostolic journey to Africa (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
Pope Leo XIV listens to a girl as he arrives at the Parish of Our Lady of Fatima in Luanda, Angola, April 20, 2026, on the eighth day of an 11-day apostolic journey to Africa (Credit: Andrew Medichini/AP.)
Before celebrating Mass, Pope Leo XIV Leo joins in with children to help release into the sky balloons tied in the shape of a rosary, at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception of Mongomo, Equatorial Guinea, April 22, 2026, on the tenth day of his 11-day pastoral visit to Africa. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
Before celebrating Mass, Pope Leo XIV Leo joins in with children to help release into the sky balloons tied in the shape of a rosary, at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception of Mongomo, Equatorial Guinea, April 22, 2026, on the tenth day of his 11-day pastoral visit to Africa. (Credit: Andrew Medichini/AP.)
Pope Leo XIV arrives at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo south of Rome for a six-week vacation, July 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
Pope Leo XIV arrives at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo south of Rome for a six-week vacation, July 6, 2025. (Credit: Andrew Medichini/AP.)
Pope Leo XIV meets with Vice President JD Vance, center, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, at the Vatican, May 19, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP File)
Pope Leo XIV meets with Vice President JD Vance, center, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, at the Vatican, May 19, 2025. (Credit: Vatican Media via AP.)
Pope Leo XIV talks to journalists as he leaves his residence in Castel Gandolfo, on the outskirts of Rome, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
Pope Leo XIV talks to journalists as he leaves his residence in Castel Gandolfo, on the outskirts of Rome, May 5, 2026. (Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP.)
Pope Leo XIV meets Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after the formal inauguration of his pontificate in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)
Pope Leo XIV meets Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after the formal inauguration of his pontificate in St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, May 18, 2025. (Credit: Alessandra Tarantino/AP.)

Pope Leo XIV carries a cross as he leads a Youths Jubilee prayer vigil at the Tor Vergata field in Rome, Aug. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
Pope Leo XIV carries a cross as he leads a Youths Jubilee prayer vigil at the Tor Vergata field in Rome, Aug. 2, 2025. (Credit: Andrew Medichini/AP.)
Pope Leo XIV is greeted by faithful as he leaves after celebrating the canonization Mass of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Sept. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
Pope Leo XIV is greeted by faithful as he leaves after celebrating the canonization Mass of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sept. 7, 2025. (Credit: Andrew Medichini/AP.)
Pope Leo XIV cradles a baby girl during his weekly general audience, at the Vatican, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
Pope Leo XIV cradles a baby girl during his weekly general audience, at the Vatican, Aug. 20, 2025. (Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP.)

Pope Leo XIV presides over a rosary vigil for peace in St. Peter's Square on the 63rd anniversary of the start of the Second Vatican Council, at the Vatican, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
Pope Leo XIV presides over a rosary vigil for peace in St. Peter’s Square on the 63rd anniversary of the start of the Second Vatican Council, at the Vatican, Oct. 12, 2025. (Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP.)
Tapestries depicting seven new Catholic saints hang from the facade of St. Peter's Basilica, as Pope Leo XIV presides over their canonization in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
Tapestries depicting seven new Catholic saints hang from the facade of St. Peter’s Basilica, as Pope Leo XIV presides over their canonization in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Oct. 19, 2025. (Credit: Andrew Medichini/AP.)
Pope Leo XIV attends the inauguration of the 'Laudato Si', High Training Center, in Castel Gandolfo, Sept. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
Pope Leo XIV attends the inauguration of the ‘Laudato Si’, High Training Center, in Castel Gandolfo, Sept. 5, 2025. (Credit: Andrew Medichini/AP.)
Newlyweds line up to greet Pope Leo XIV during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, June 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)
Newlyweds line up to greet Pope Leo XIV during his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, June 18, 2025. (Credit: Alessandra Tarantino/AP.)
Pope Leo XIV is greeted by faithful at the end of the Angelus prayer in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Aug.15, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
Pope Leo XIV is greeted by faithful at the end of the Angelus prayer in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Aug.15, 2025. (Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP.)
Britain's King Charles III and Pope Leo XIV leave the Sistine Chapel after a joint prayer on the theme of 'Care for Creation', at the Vatican, Oct. 23, 2025. (Vatican Media via AP File)
Britain’s King Charles III and Pope Leo XIV leave the Sistine Chapel after a joint prayer on the theme of ‘Care for Creation’, at the Vatican, Oct. 23, 2025. (Credit: Vatican Media via AP.)
Pope Leo XIV, left, and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's Eastern Orthodox Christians, second left, leave after an Ecumenical prayer service at archaeological excavations of the ancient Byzantine-era Christian Saint Neophytos Basilica, in Iznik, Turkey, Nov. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)
Pope Leo XIV, left, and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world’s Eastern Orthodox Christians, second left, leave after an Ecumenical prayer service at archaeological excavations of the ancient Byzantine-era Christian Saint Neophytos Basilica, in Iznik, Turkey, Nov. 28, 2025. (Credit: Khalil Hamra/AP.)
Pope Leo XIV arrives with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's Eastern Orthodox Christians, to celebrate a Mass at the Volkswagen Arena in Istanbul, Turkey, Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)
Pope Leo XIV arrives with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world’s Eastern Orthodox Christians, to celebrate a Mass at the Volkswagen Arena in Istanbul, Turkey, Nov. 29, 2025. (Credit: Khalil Hamra/AP.)
Lebanese air force fighters escort Pope Leo XIV's plane as it flies over Beirut, Lebanon, on its way to the international airport, Nov. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, File)
Lebanese air force fighters escort Pope Leo XIV’s plane as it flies over Beirut, Lebanon, on its way to the international airport, Nov. 30, 2025. (Credit: Domenico Stinellis/AP.)
Nuns hold up images of Lebanese Maronite nun Saint Rafqa as they wait for Pope Leo XIV to celebrate a Holy Mass at Beirut waterfront, in Beirut, Lebanon, Dec. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein, File)
Nuns hold up images of Lebanese Maronite nun Saint Rafqa as they wait for Pope Leo XIV to celebrate a Holy Mass at Beirut waterfront, in Beirut, Lebanon, Dec. 2, 2025. (Credit: Bilal Hussein/AP.)
Rose petals are tossed towards Pope Leo XIV as he is driven past after visiting the Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross in Jal el-Dib, Lebanon, Dec. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)
Rose petals are tossed towards Pope Leo XIV as he is driven past after visiting the Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross in Jal el-Dib, Lebanon, Dec. 2, 2025. (Credit: Hassan Ammar/AP.)
Pope Leo XIV, walking in white socks, visits the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel, File)
Pope Leo XIV, walking in white socks, visits the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Nov. 29, 2025. (Credit: Emrah Gurel/AP.)
Pope Leo XIV celebrates a Mass at the Volkswagen Arena in Istanbul, Turkey, Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)
Pope Leo XIV celebrates a Mass at the Volkswagen Arena in Istanbul, Turkey, Nov. 29, 2025. (Credit: Khalil Hamra/AP.)
Crowds gather for the arrival of Pope Leo XIV who will visit the De la Croix hospital in Jal el Dib, Lebanon, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Crowds gather for the arrival of Pope Leo XIV who will visit the De la Croix hospital in Jal el Dib, Lebanon, Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. (Credit: Hassan Ammar/AP.)
Pope Leo XIV, with the Archbishop of Bamenda, Andrew Nkea Fuanya, left, frees a white dove at the end of a meeting for peace at Saint Joseph's Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, April 16, 2026, on the fourth day of his 11-day pastoral visit to Africa. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
Pope Leo XIV, with the Archbishop of Bamenda, Andrew Nkea Fuanya, left, frees a white dove at the end of a meeting for peace at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, April 16, 2026, on the fourth day of his 11-day pastoral visit to Africa. (Credit: Andrew Medichini/AP.)
Pope Leo XIV carries wooden cross during the the torchlit Good Friday Stations of the Cross procession at the Colosseum in Rome, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
Pope Leo XIV carries wooden cross during the the torchlit Good Friday Stations of the Cross procession at the Colosseum in Rome, April 3, 2026. (Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP.)
Pontifical Swiss Guards, backdropped by a portrait of Pope Leo XIV, head into the Courtyard of St. Damasus to await the arrival of King Letsie III of Lesotho at the Vatican, Oct. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
Pontifical Swiss Guards, backdropped by a portrait of Pope Leo XIV, head into the Courtyard of St. Damasus to await the arrival of King Letsie III of Lesotho at the Vatican, Oct. 17, 2025. (Credit: Gregorio Borgia/AP.)
Pope Leo XIV waves from his popemobile after presiding over a Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
Pope Leo XIV waves from his popemobile after presiding over a Mass in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Oct. 19, 2025. (Andrew Medichini/AP.)

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.