{"id":274317,"date":"2025-09-12T10:00:21","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T14:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?post_type=short-read&p=274317"},"modified":"2025-09-12T10:07:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T14:07:15","slug":"more-than-8-in-10-u-s-catholics-view-pope-leo-favorably","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2025\/09\/12\/more-than-8-in-10-u-s-catholics-view-pope-leo-favorably\/","title":{"rendered":"More than 8 in 10 U.S. Catholics view Pope Leo favorably"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/a>
Pope Leo XIV appears in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City on May 11, 2025. (Franco Origlia\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Catholics are still getting to know Pope Leo XIV. But they like what they\u2019ve seen so far. Overall, 84% of U.S. Catholics say they have a favorable view of Leo, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Just 4% say they have an unfavorable view of him, while 11% say they have never heard of Pope Leo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bar<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, most American Catholics say they don\u2019t know much about the new pope. Leo became pope in May following the death of Pope Francis. Some 67% say they know a little about Leo, and 25% know nothing at all. Just 7% say they know a lot about him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pie<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to expectations for his papacy, 52% of U.S. Catholics are unsure how Leo\u2019s church leadership will compare with Francis\u2019 or say they don\u2019t know anything about the new pope to begin with. Another 33% think Leo will be pretty similar to Francis, while 13% think he will be pretty different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bar<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
About this research<\/summary>\n

This Pew Research Center analysis explores U.S. Catholics\u2019 views of Pope Leo XIV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why did we do this?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Center conducts high-quality research to inform the public, journalists and leaders. Studying U.S. Catholics<\/a>, including their views of the church\u2019s leaders, is a key part of the Center\u2019s long-standing research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn more about Pew Research Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did we do this?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This analysis is based on findings from a survey of 9,916 U.S. adults (including 1,849 Catholics) who are part of the Center\u2019s American Trends Panel (ATP)<\/a>. The survey was conducted from July 8 to Aug. 3, 2025. The survey\u2019s margin of error for Catholics is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Here are the questions used for this analysis<\/a>, the topline<\/a> and the survey methodology<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Leo XIV is the first U.S.-born pope. When asked how excited they are to have a pope who was born in the United States, 36% of American Catholics say they are extremely or very excited. An additional 40% say they are somewhat excited. On the other hand, 22% say they are not too or not at all excited to have a U.S.-born pope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The survey also asked non-Catholics about Pope Leo. Perhaps not surprisingly, non-Catholics are even less familiar with Leo than Catholics are. For example, when asked whether they have a favorable or unfavorable view of Leo, 31% of non-Catholics say they have never heard of him. Still, 56% of non-Catholics view Leo favorably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How views of Pope Leo XIV compare with views of Francis, Benedict XVI and John Paul II<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The Center has long conducted research<\/a> on Catholicism in the U.S.<\/a>, including asking American Catholics about their views of Catholic leaders<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The share of Catholics who view Leo favorably today is identical to the share who viewed Pope Francis favorably early in his pontificate. In a March 2013 survey, 84% of American Catholics also expressed favorable views of Francis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bar<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How views of Pope Leo differ by rates of Mass attendance<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Catholics who attend Mass at least once a week say they view Leo more positively and know more about him than other U.S. Catholics do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bar<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For instance, 95% of those who attend Mass weekly say they have a favorable view of Leo, compared with 84% who attend Mass a few times a month or once or twice a year, and 77% of Catholics who seldom or never attend Mass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, even weekly Mass attenders are largely unfamiliar with the new pope. Three-quarters say they know only a little about Leo, and 11% say they know nothing about him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Catholic Democrats and Republicans view Pope Leo<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Vast majorities of both Catholic Democrats (89%) and Republicans (84%) view Leo favorably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Bar<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Catholic Democrats are about as likely to rate Leo positively as they were to rate Francis positively at the end of his papacy. In a February 2025 survey \u2013 shortly before Francis died \u2013 88% of Catholic Democrats said they had a favorable view of him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By contrast, Catholic Republicans rate Leo significantly more positively than they rated his predecessor earlier this year. In February, 69% of Catholic Republicans expressed a favorable view of Francis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our polling<\/a> throughout Francis\u2019 papacy found that majorities of Catholic Republicans and Democrats consistently viewed him favorably. However, Catholic Republicans gradually grew more negative toward him while Catholic Democrats did not, creating a divide during the later years of his pontificate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Table<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

These partisan differences in views about Francis are still evident in the new survey. Far more Catholic Democrats (44%) than Republicans (21%) think that Leo\u2019s leadership of the Catholic Church will be similar to Francis\u2019 pontificate and that this is a good thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By contrast, more Catholic Republicans (18%) than Democrats (8%) say they think Leo will be different from Francis and that the change is a good thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: Here are the questions used for this analysis<\/a>, the topline<\/a> and the survey methodology<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

U.S. Catholics are still getting to know Pope Leo XIV. 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