Pope 256
Leo XIII
The 256th pope in the Holy See's list of Supreme Pontiffs, serving as Bishop of Rome from 20.II, 3.III.1878 to 20.VII.1903. His secular name is listed as Vincenzo Gioacchino Pecci. The Holy See lists his birthplace as Carpineto Romano.
Why this pontificate matters
Leo XIII shows the papacy speaking into the modern social order after the collapse of the old political frame. He is a natural bridge from nineteenth-century crisis to modern Catholic social teaching.
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The timeline helps show how close Leo XIII is to the contemporary popes compared with the long sweep before him.
Predecessor
- Pius IX · succeeded in see · documented
Leo XIII follows Pius IX as Bishop of Rome in the Holy See's sequential list of Supreme Pontiffs.
Successor
- Pius X · succeeded in see · documented
Pius X follows Leo XIII as Bishop of Rome in the Holy See's sequential list of Supreme Pontiffs.