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Pope Leo XIV Honors St. George’s Name Day in Vatican City on Sept. 20
Confirmed
In Short: The first American pope called for renewed commitment to peace in his first public comments on the anniversary.
Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, marked the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on his home country with a call for renewed commitment to peace.
Speaking in English at his traditional Sunday noon blessing from the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the significance of the attacks.
In his remarks, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the importance of forgiveness and peace, noting that all things are given to us by God out of pure love.
Pope Leo XIV also greeted pilgrims from Brazil and other countries, highlighting the global community's shared commitment to peace and remembrance.
Background
In Christianity, a name day is a tradition in many countries of Europe and the Americas, as well as Christian communities elsewhere. It consists of celebrating a day of the year that is associated with one's baptismal name, which is normatively that of a biblical character or other saint.
What's confirmed
- The feast of St. George, April 23, was observed as a holiday under Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, while the feast of St. Joseph, March 19, held that place during the pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI, born Joseph Ratzinger.
- “The burdensome offices of governance did not prevent (Bellarmine) from striving daily for holiness, faithful to the demands of his own state as a religious, priest and bishop,” Pope Benedict said, noting that this fidelity drove St. Bellarmine to preach “assiduously” across Flanders, Rome, Naples and Capua.
- ROME (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV celebrated his 71st birthday on Sept.
- 14, but in Vatican City the more significant celebration comes three days later.
- Born Robert Prevost, the pope shares his given name with the 17th-century saint, a Jesuit cardinal and Doctor of the Church who died on Sept.
- In southern Italy, it is common to celebrate one’s “onomastico,” or name day, in addition to one’s birthday.
- For Pope Leo XIV, the coincidence of a birthday and a name day falling in the same week offers a moment of double celebration, as well as some surprisingly relevant lessons on Church governance, administration, and holiness for a pope from the saint whose name he has borne for 71 years.
- Born in 1542 into a prominent Tuscan family and a nephew of a pope, he entered the Society of Jesus shortly before his 18th birthday.
What's still developing
- Cahill’s appointment, announced by the Vatican on Sept. 17, makes him the successor to then-bishop Ronald Hicks, who led the diocese from 2020 to 2026.
- According to the Vatican announcement, Cahill was born in Coral Gables, Florida, on Nov. 28, 1963.
- The pontiff appointed Bishop Brendan Cahill on Sept.
- Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Brendan Cahill of the Diocese of Victoria, Texas, as the seventh bishop of Joliet, Illinois.
- The document's second chapter is about the "human community," and this theme, the Pope said, has "even greater urgency" today.
- While technology is "opening up new possibilities, breaking down barriers and bridging distances" human relationships "are tending to become less and less personal, more virtual," the Pope observed.
- "Gaudium et Spes" considered four consequences of being part of the "human family" and Pope Leo considered each of them.
- Pope Leo continued his reflection on the Vatican II document dealing with the Church and the modern world, Gaudium et Spes, in the general audience of September 16.