The Election of Pope Leo XIV

On April 21, 2025, Pope Francis died at age 88, ending a 12-year papacy marked by liberal reforms and a reluctance to defend traditional Catholic teachings. Just over two weeks later, on May 8, Cardinal Robert Prevost—an American and close ally of Francis—was elected as his successor, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. His election was historic: the first American pope, and a continuation of Francis’s legacy. While the papacy is not a biblical office, its global influence matters deeply. Protestants reject the theological foundations of the papacy but recognize the importance of shared moral convictions. If Pope Leo continues Francis's doctrinal drift, it will signal a deepening moral crisis with global consequences.