Pope Leo to Release First Apostolic Exhortation on Poverty on October 9

Vatican City, 4 October, 2025: Pope Leo XIV has signed his first papal document, an apostolic exhortation 'Dilexi te' focused on poverty, scheduled for release on October 9, 2025, the feast of St. John Henry Newman. The Holy See Press Office stated that the signing took place at 8:30 this morning in the presence of Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, and that the document will be presented on October 9 at 11:30 a.m. in the Holy See Press Office.

The long-awaited document, originally drafted by Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, was left unfinished following Pope Francis’ passing. By choosing to revive and revise the text, Leo XIV demonstrates both respect for his predecessor’s vision and a determination to make his own mark from the outset. This approach mirrors a recent precedent when Pope Francis published Lumen Fidei, largely crafted by Benedict XVI.

Meanwhile, Leo XIV’s first encyclical remains under wraps, with only hints of its progress, and the status of other unfinished documents awaiting papal approval in the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith remains uncertain.

Courtesy: Vatican News