A simple start to his pontificate
Once elected, Pope Leo XIV was surprised by the sobriety and depth of his first gestures. Far from staging a solemn ceremony or demonstrating his authority, he preferred discretion, silent prayer and a deeply fraternal attitude towards the crowd gathered in St Peter's Square. Before even speaking, he invited everyone to pray for him, bowing for a long time in silence.
This inaugural gesture set the tone for a pontificate centred on evangelical humility and dependence on grace. By choosing to be called "the Bishop of Rome" rather than "the Holy Father", Leo XIV recalled the essence of his ministry: to serve, not dominate, and to walk with the people of God, not above them.
An inaugural Mass marked by fraternity
On the day of the inaugural Mass, Leo XIV celebrated on the square in front of St Peter's Basilica surrounded by thousands of faithful from all over the world. The liturgy, although faithful to Roman tradition, was marked by several significant choices: a short and clear homily, strong gestures (such as the extended invitation to peace), and a very special attention paid to the poor, migrants and the sick placed in the front rows.
In his homily, he recalled the words of Jesus: "I am among you as one who serves." He invited the Church to once again become a visible sign of God's tenderness, stepping out of its institutional logics to rediscover the living heart of the Gospel.
His liturgical style, unemphasised but deeply inhabited, touched hearts. Many were struck by the gentleness of his gaze, the slowness of his gestures, and the prolonged silent prayer after communion - like a call to refocus everything on Christ.
Audiences turned towards the forgotten
In the days following his election, Leo XIV held one audience after another, but not in the usual order. First he received a group of inmates from an Italian prison. He shook hands with each one, listened to a few words and offered them a small wooden cross. He told them, "God is not locking you up. He is looking for you."
Then, in the Paul VI Hall, he welcomed refugees, homeless people and sick children. Far from any protocol, he sat on the same level, took the time to talk with each person, to make simple gestures: a caress, a blessing, a whispered prayer.
This choice to begin his pontificate with the human peripheries sent a strong message: the centre of the Church is where people suffer, not in the corridors of power.
Clear words and a straightforward style
From his very first addresses, Leo XIV asserted a sober, clear, pastoral style of language. He sought neither effect nor formula, but truth in love. In his first general audience, he spoke of Christian joy as "a discreet fire that cannot always be seen, but which warms the soul when it walks through the night".
He invited the faithful not to fear difficult times, but to return to Christ living in the Gospel, and never to separate faith and charity. He emphasised that the first reform of the Church begins in the heart, not in the structures.
A new breath of fresh air in continuity
While inscribing himself in a certain continuity with his predecessors notably Francis, Benedict XVI and John Paul II Leo XIV is already affirming his own tone: that of a pastor rooted in spirituality, passionate about the Word of God, inhabited by Saint Augustine, and determined to live close to the poor.
His first gestures are not anecdotal: they outline a clear spiritual line, made up of self-denial, mercy, simplicity and depth. For him, the Pope's mission is not to shine, but to reflect Christ, like a candle reflects fire without pretending to be.
