Leo XIII [Gioacchino, Pecci] acted as pope from 1878 to 1903. He is best known for his social encyclical Rerum Novarum (1891), which is generally regarded as the first major document in modern Catholic social teachings. Pius XI's Syllabus of Errors had declared war on the contemporary world and democracy, but Leo sought pragmatic reconciliation with his time.
While his pontificate showed that the papacy could be effective without temporal power, his liberal impulses were not deeply rooted in the Church and were easily reversed by his very conservative successor, Pius X. However, Pius' election was most likely only made possible due to a veto from the Austrian emperor, Francis Joseph.
When the cardinals gathered in the Vatican, most of the world's attention was focused on Mariano Rampolla, Leo's Cardinal Secretary of State. Leo was seen as the leading palpable cardinal and was close to being elected when the Austrian Emperor vetoed him as a candidate. He raised his objection through the Prince-Bishop of Krakow, after the Austrian Bishop rejected. The blocking of Mariano Rampolla threw the conclave into the open. Nearly every cardinal in attendance became a possible choice for Pope.
Instead of the liberal theologian Mariano Rampollo, the working-class populist conservative Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto became the victor.
So what if the veto is not issued and Mariano, a liberal like his predecessor, becomes Pontiff? Perhaps the Prince-Bishop of Krakow refuses or the Emperor is distracted by other matters.
While his pontificate showed that the papacy could be effective without temporal power, his liberal impulses were not deeply rooted in the Church and were easily reversed by his very conservative successor, Pius X. However, Pius' election was most likely only made possible due to a veto from the Austrian emperor, Francis Joseph.
When the cardinals gathered in the Vatican, most of the world's attention was focused on Mariano Rampolla, Leo's Cardinal Secretary of State. Leo was seen as the leading palpable cardinal and was close to being elected when the Austrian Emperor vetoed him as a candidate. He raised his objection through the Prince-Bishop of Krakow, after the Austrian Bishop rejected. The blocking of Mariano Rampolla threw the conclave into the open. Nearly every cardinal in attendance became a possible choice for Pope.
Instead of the liberal theologian Mariano Rampollo, the working-class populist conservative Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto became the victor.
So what if the veto is not issued and Mariano, a liberal like his predecessor, becomes Pontiff? Perhaps the Prince-Bishop of Krakow refuses or the Emperor is distracted by other matters.