Knowra Pope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII led the Catholic Church from 1878 to 1903. His encyclical Rerum novarum addressed workers’ rights, private property, and social justice, helping shape modern Catholic social teaching.
Rerum novarum : An 1891 papal encyclical on labor, capital, private property, and the duties of workers and employers. This encyclical made Leo XIII’s most influential intervention in debates over industrial labor.
Holy See : The central governing authority of the Catholic Church, headed by the pope and distinct from Vatican City as a state. Leo XIII acted through this institution after the papacy lost its territorial states.
Joachim Pecci : The birth name of Pope Leo XIII, who was born in 1810 in the Papal States. His diplomatic and ecclesiastical career began decades before his election as pope.
Pope Pius X : Pope from 1903 to 1914, known for liturgical reforms and his campaign against modernism in Catholic theology. He succeeded Leo XIII and pursued a more forceful campaign against theological modernism.
Catholic social teaching : The Catholic Church’s body of reflection on social, economic, and political life, grounded in human dignity and the common good. Leo XIII’s writings helped establish its modern framework.
Papal encyclical : A formal papal letter addressed to bishops or a wider audience on doctrine, discipline, or social questions. Encyclicals carried Leo XIII’s arguments to Catholics and political audiences worldwide.
Papal States : Territories in central Italy governed by the pope from the eighth century until their annexation in 1870. Leo XIII’s papacy followed the loss of the territory in which he had been born and served.
Modernism in the Catholic Church : A late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century movement applying historical and critical methods to Catholic belief and scripture. Leo XIII promoted scholarly renewal, while later disputes under his successor focused on modernist theology.
Quadragesimo anno : A 1931 encyclical by Pope Pius XI that revisited social and economic questions raised by Rerum novarum. Pius XI marked Rerum novarum’s fortieth anniversary by extending its social analysis.
Vatican diplomacy : The Holy See’s conduct of international relations through diplomatic representatives and negotiations. Leo XIII used diplomatic engagement to restore influence and protect Catholic interests.
Show all 22