A U.S. flag is held up as Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful from the popemobile ahead of his inaugural Mass in Saint Peter’s Square, at the Vatican on May 18, 2025. | REUTERS

VATICAN CITY – Pope Leo marks his first year leading the Catholic Church on Friday with a higher public profile and a ramped-up schedule, having grown more outspoken on the world stage and drawn the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump.

The first U.S.-born pope, who sharply denounced war and despotism on a recent four-nation Africa tour, is expected to release his first in-depth teaching document this month and is preparing for a one-week trip to Spain in June.

Leo, who maintained a ​relatively low profile in his first 10 months as pope before attracting attacks from Trump after criticizing the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, is also making five trips ‌inside Italy ‌through July.

In a time of both misinformation and too much information,

quality journalism is more crucial than ever.

By subscribing, you can help us get the story…