Pope Leo XIV may be less than a month into his papacy, but he is already making an impression. Addressing a gathering of Christian leaders at a landmark conference marking the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, the Pope skipped the usual formalities and began with an apology.
"Before I continue the formal remarks, I would just like to apologise for being a little late and also to ask for your patience with me," he told the crowd. "I'm not yet one month into the new job, so we have a lot of learning experiences, but I'm very happy to be with you this morning."
His words immediately incited laughter in a room filled with high-level clergy and theologians from Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant backgrounds.
The moment, captured on video and later shared by the Vatican on Instagram, quickly went viral.
A user commented, "He is so friendly and polite. Love that he apologises for being little late. So respectful to the people and at least again his great sense of humour."
Another wrote, "Our joyful Pope Leo IV has a wonderful sense of humor. Laughter is a blessing."
"I love that he still seems awestruck by the fact that HE is The Pope. It shows such humility," a comment read.
Someone said, "Every time I think I can't love him any more than I already do."
The 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea marks a key milestone in Christian history. Convened in 325 AD by Emperor Constantine, the council affirmed that Christ is fully divine and of the same substance as God the Father, countering the Arian claim that He was created. This led to the Nicene Creed, a core statement of faith still recited by Christians today.
Pope Leo XIV was elected on May 8, during the second day of the papal conclave, winning on the fourth ballot. Formerly known as Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, he is the first US-born pope and also holds dual citizenship with Peru, where he served as a missionary and bishop. Pope Leo's formal inauguration Mass took place on May 18, in St. Peter's Square, officially beginning his ministry as the Bishop of Rome.
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