About
Sources policy
Every content item on LeoPope can carry multiple sources. We label each one so readers can judge its weight.
Source categories
- Primary source — the original text or record: a full speech or document on Vatican.va, an official transcript, an original letter. The strongest basis for a factual claim or a quotation.
- Official source — communications from the Holy See and its offices: Vatican News, the Holy See Press Office bulletin, dicastery statements.
- News source — established news organisations and agencies such as Reuters, the Associated Press, the BBC and Catholic News Agency. Used for reporting, context and events not yet in the official record.
- Archive source — reference works and archived copies (e.g. the Wayback Machine, institutional archives), used for background and to preserve links.
How we cite
Articles, speeches, quotes, topics and questions end with a Sources box listing publisher, title, link, and — where relevant — the publication and access dates. Quotations link to the primary text whenever one is available.
Examples
- Vatican.va → Primary / Official
- Vatican News → Official news
- Reuters, AP, BBC → News source
Link handling
External source links open in a new tab and use rel="nofollow". We aim to archive important sources so citations remain verifiable over the long life of this pontificate.
Last updated: August 2026