VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV instructed the cardinals who elected him to “make oneself small” so that only Christ is left in charge of the Catholic Church in his very first speech as pope. Since then, Leo has been determined to blend in as much as possible. The reticent 69-year-old Augustinian missionary has chosen a more subdued, modest, and peaceful style of popeship over the controversial antagonism of previous popes.
When Leo embarks on a six-week vacation this weekend—his first since his historic victory on May 8—he will further fade into the background. By choosing the comparatively cooler climate of Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer home on Lake Alban, south of Rome, Leo is carrying on the papal custom of fleeing the Roman heat. Leo’s acquaintances and colleagues anticipate that he will use these weeks away from the spotlight and the routine of Vatican audiences to better understand the church’s most urgent issues.
They describe him as a meticulous, diligent, and well-prepared boss who prefers to study whole reports rather than simply executive summaries before making choices. Here is a glance at Leo’s summer homework, which includes the unfinished dossiers he could be working on between pool swims, garden walks, and sporadic Masses, prayers, and town trips till August 17.
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