VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV had tried during his first year as pontiff to insist that his essential role was that of a pastor accompanying his flock. President Donald Trump’s continuing criticisms – and Leo’s increasingly bold retorts – complicated the effort and overshadowed Friday’s anniversary of Leo’s election.

Pope Leo XIV prayed Friday for political leaders to end the “fratricidal hatred” in the world, as he spent the anniversary of his election in the ancient city of Pompeii.

Newsweek has broken down Pope Leo XIV's biggest moments on his first anniversary.

Historic donation milestone: The Papal Foundation approved over $15 million in grants for 2026, the largest in its 38-year history. Revived donor trust: Pope Leo XIV’s election has reinvigorated U.S. Catholic giving after years of declining donations ...

The Pope was trying to get the phone number changed for his bank account, which was held by a bank in his hometown of Chicago. Despite answering the security questions correctly, the customer service representative said he would have to come in to change the number, which he couldn't do.

Have you ever wanted to eat like the pope? Well now you can, with his mother's recipe for "Messy Josephs."

The AI-generated posts followed a common pattern of fabricating shocking stories about famous people to get clicks on Facebook.

A Vatican documentary clip unexpectedly turned into a sneaker conversation online after viewers spotted Pope Leo XIV wearing vintage Nike trainers, triggering waves of memes and humorous reactions across social media.