Pope Leo XIV stands out on TIME’s most influential list
Pope Leo XIV named on TIME's most influential list. The list highlights leaders shaping global events. Leo XIV's influence stems from his leadership in Cameroon and global outreach. The recognition underscores his impact on spiritual and social issues.
2 days ago
Pope Leo XIV has been highlighted on TIME’s 2026 “100 Most Influential People” list, underscoring his moral leadership and historic firsts as the first U.S.–born pontiff and the first Augustinian pope in five centuries. 1 2 3
TIME revealed the list on April 15, 2026, naming Pope Leo XIV among a diverse group of leaders, innovators and cultural figures. The magazine notes that influence “has no single metric” and is judged by the stories shaping the world each year. 2 3
The Aleteia piece emphasizes that Leo’s influence derives from “moral clarity, consistency, and the ability to speak into complex situations” rather than sheer visibility. His recent remarks on war, power and responsibility have been described as unusually direct and aimed at redirecting global conversations. 1
Filmmaker Martin Scorsese, contributing a commentary for TIME, called Leo “brave” with a “common touch.” He linked Leo’s approach to Pope Francis’s emphasis on reform, moral credibility, and a church that is “the actual teachings of Jesus.” Scorsese also praised Leo’s commitment to empowering the laity. 2 3
Leo authored the introduction to a new edition of The Practice of the Presence of God, a 17th‑century work that he cites as shaping his spiritual life alongside St. Augustine. Scorsese highlighted this introduction, noting Leo’s view that “All Christian ethics can truly be summed up in this continual calling to mind the fact that God is present: He is here.” 2 3
Editor‑in‑Chief Sam Jacobs explained that the list is compiled by polling editors, reporters and global sources, then reviewing daily recommendations to identify the stories and people “shaping the world each year.” 2 3
The inclusion of a religious leader signals a broader definition of influence that values moral authority and the capacity to shape discourse, not merely political or commercial power. Leo’s presence on the list may encourage a reevaluation of how spiritual leadership contributes to global narratives. 1
Assess papal influence in modern global politics per Vatican canon law
Papal influence in modern global politics can be assessed—in law and in practice—by distinguishing (1) what the pope has juridical power to do regarding the universal Church, (2) what the Church may legitimately do in the temporal/public sphere, and (3) what limits canon law places on clergy’s direct partisan involvement. Read this way, “papal influence” is less about governing states and more about moral formation, diplomatic representation, and juridically structured Church-state relations.
Canon law teaches that, by virtue of office, the Roman Pontiff possesses power over the universal Church and has primacy of ordinary power over all particular churches. This primacy strengthens and protects the bishops’ proper power in their dioceses.
Implication for global politics: the pope’s authority is not rooted in being a head of state, but in being the supreme pastor of the universal Church—an authority that can shape moral and ecclesial guidance which then interacts with political life.
Canon law states there is no appeal or recourse permitted against sentences or decrees of the Roman Pontiff.
Implication: this legal finality contributes to the Church’s distinctive international credibility (states and institutions know that official Church decisions have internal juridical stability), though it still does not convert ecclesial authority into civil authority over states.
Canon law explicitly gives the Roman Pontiff an innate and independent right to appoint, send, transfer, and recall legates to states and public authorities.
This provides a canonical mechanism for sustained international presence (missions, mediation, official representation) rather than sporadic statements.
Canon law further specifies that a pontifical legate acting for states has the function to:
Implication: much of what people call “papal influence” in world politics is canonically structured treaty/diplomatic interaction—especially where human rights, religious freedom, and social-moral questions intersect with lawmaking.
Canon 3 states that the canons “neither abrogate nor derogate from the agreements entered into by the Apostolic See with nations or other political societies,” which “continue in force exactly as at present” notwithstanding contrary prescriptions of the Code.
Implication: the legal order of the Church recognizes an enduring body of international juridical commitments. This creates continuity in Church-state relations that can influence global policy discussions across time.
Canon law says clerics must foster peace and harmony based on justice, and they are not to have an active part in political parties and in governing labor unions unless competent ecclesiastical authority judges that the protection of the Church’s rights or promotion of the common good requires it.
Assessment: papal influence in politics is compatible with canon law when it is exercised as pastoral-moral guidance and diplomatic representation, not as clergy functioning as partisan political actors.
A major boundary is expressed in Pope John Paul II’s diplomatic teaching: the Church “does not have direct competence in the realm of political options,” yet she can contribute through formation of consciences and ethical principles about the human person, acting as an ally to those concerned with mankind’s destiny.
Assessment: This aligns with canon law’s general separation between ecclesial authority and civil decision-making: the Holy See’s influence is most legitimate when it helps form public conscience and moral consensus rather than trying to determine party platforms or government structures.
Pope John Paul II also clarifies a practical point relevant to political influence: diplomatic relations do not necessarily mean approval of a regime or all its acts in public affairs; they reflect appreciation of positive temporal values and a desire for dialogue, among other aims.
Assessment: This matters for “influence” claims: canonically and doctrinally, the Apostolic See can engage states diplomatically while maintaining moral critique where needed—without collapsing into endorsement of every political policy.
Papal diplomacy is described (by John Paul II) as promoting and defending human dignity and integral human social life, aiming at consensus on fundamental principles, and giving juridical expression to values that prevent society from being divided.
He also teaches that the Holy See’s spiritual mission in the temporal order is to proclaim the dignity of the human person and educate consciences to truths and values essential to building a just society, including defense of the structure of human rights and religious freedom.
Canonical fit: the pope’s universal pastoral authority plus the Apostolic See’s treaty/diplomatic competence (canons 362/365 and the concordats principle in canon 3) provide a legal basis for this type of international moral presence.
The Holy See encourages political leaders toward dialogue and negotiation to permit peoples to live in peace, presenting this duty as integral to the Church’s spiritual mission responding to brotherly love.
Assessment: this is not political governance; it is a spiritual-moral contribution that seeks stability and justice within international life—precisely the kind of “ethical principles and consensus” approach described above.
John Paul II emphasizes that without ultimate truth, political ideas can be manipulated for power or special interests.
Assessment: even when the Holy See is not legislating, it aims to shape the framework of political rationality—what kinds of ends and means can be publicly justified—thereby affecting global norms and debates.
Under Vatican canon law, papal influence in modern global politics is best understood as real but delimited:
If you want, you can specify whether your focus is (a) legal authority (what canon law permits), (b) diplomatic practice (how the Holy See operates), or (c) moral limits (where canon law constrains political involvement).