From AFP: 

Pope Leo XIV heads off on holiday on Sunday, having spent his first two months as Catholic leader rebuilding unity and bolstering tradition after his predecessor’s unorthodox papacy.

“Prudent”, “methodical” and “listening” are some of the words used by Vatican insiders who spoke to AFP to describe the approach of the first American pope, who took over on May 8 as head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

Leo was elected by cardinals following the death of Argentina’s Pope Francis, a charismatic reformer who sparked worldwide devotion but also internal Church divisions during his 12-year papacy.

Francis shook things up from the outset, eschewing the ornate garb and palaces of his predecessors, but his successor has moved more carefully, emphasising tradition and unity.

On the all-important symbols, Leo has returned to wearing the traditional red mozzetta — short cape — and stole over his white papal robes.

He will take a summer break from July 6 to 20 at the papal palace at Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome, a longtime country residence for pontiffs that Francis declined to use.

Leo is also expected to move into the papal apartments of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace in the autumn after extensive renovations, according to a Vatican source.

Francis had rejected the palace in favour of a simple apartment in the Santa Marta guesthouse.

On policy matters, Leo has given numerous speeches but has so far avoided taking positions that might cause offence and has made no major appointments.

In public, he smiles and engages with the crowds who flock to see him in St Peter’s Square, from blessing babies to singing along to the chants of the Chicago White Sox, his favourite baseball team.

But the discreet former missionary — who spent two decades in Peru before joining the Roman Curia, the Catholic Church’s governing body, in 2023 — has so far kept to the script and followed protocol.

“His style is simplicity… He is a presence that does not impose itself on others,” said Roberto Regoli, a professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

“With him, rather than looking at appearances, you have to focus on the content,” he told AFP.

The approach has won Leo support within the Curia.

Employees who spoke to AFP described a man who was “pragmatic”, “impressively calm”, “measured and methodical”, “thoughtful” and “concerned about balance”.

“He is someone who listens a lot, who needs to understand how things work before making decisions,” explained one employee of a dicastery, a Vatican government department.

“It’s clear we’re in a phase of hug therapy,” commented a European diplomatic source.

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