12 daysSorry, Pope “Badassmotherfucker” is reserved should Samuel L. Jackson ever run for the papacy.
- ViatorOmnium@piefed.socialEnglish12 days
It’s just tradition. Early popes used their own names. The tradition started in the 6th century because an elected pope was named Mercurius after the Roman god and he thought it was bad PR to keep it. The last pope to use his birth name was in the 16th century (Marcello II)
- HobbitFoot @thelemmy.clubEnglish12 days
Yeah. To add to what your said, the tradition of taking on a new name has become a political statement in its own right. The name is a reflection on how the Pope intends to lead.
- 11 days
https://www.astrology.com/zodiac-signs/leo
But more seriously, the previous Pope Leo was known for supporting unions and workers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rerum_novarum so it’s likely a nod to that.
- 12 days
The Pope is asked what name they will use. This is after they accept the position of pope, which means they are already pope at that moment.
So they can pick whatever name they want. They aren’t going to be fired.
Seriously though they don’t have to pick a new name at all. It’s often meant to be symbolic or recognizing a mentor or influence.
- 12 days
Usually that’s a saint’s name, but also popes are elected and sometimes it’s a shorthand that they’ll continue policies of previous pope of that name
They recycle names and add a roman numeral. Robert Francis Prevost is Pope Leo XIV.
- 12 days
The person who was pope literally last year is a counterexample to this.
