The Pope signs his first 'Dilexi te' document

Pope Leo signed the Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi this morning in the Private Library of the Apostolic Palace, according to a note from the Holy See Press Office. The signing of this first document of the pontificate took place, it is specified, in the presence of the Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, Monsignor Edgar Pena Parra.

The Apostolic Exhortation 'Dilexi te', 'I have loved you', would reportedly have the poor as its theme. It would be a work that had been started by Pope Francis; in homage to this continuity, the Exhortation has this title, after Bergoglio's 'Dilexit Nos' of the end of 2024, his last magisterial document. The centrality of the poor has been highlighted several times by Pope Leo in these almost five months of his pontificate.

Some passages on wars and the climate emergency, which precisely cause poverty and social injustice, are also to be expected. There could also be a call to the Church to consider the poor as protagonists and not just subjects to be helped. Pope Leo has often spoken of caring for the poor. He did so also during the canonisation of Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis on 7 September: "They lived this love for Jesus Christ above all in the Eucharist but also in the poor, in their brothers and sisters".

Also in the Mass with the workers and those assisted by Caritas of the diocese of Albano last 17 August, he had emphasised the centrality of the poor: 'I encourage you not to distinguish between those who assist and those who are assisted, between those who appear to give and those who appear to receive, between those who appear to be poor and those who feel they are offering time, skills, help. We are the Church of the Lord, a Church of the poor, all precious, all subjects, each bearer of a singular Word of God. Each one is a gift for the others'.