Pope Leo XIV

The new Pope

Leo XIV, who are the Augustinians

The official motto of the Order's members: 'Charity and Knowledge'.

by Chiara Ricciolini

8 May 2025

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Key points

Who are the Augustinians?
Charitas et Scientia
Augustinian life as community life

2' min read

Robert Francis Prevost is the first pope belonging to the Order of Saint Augustine in the history of the Catholic Church. The motto itself, embossed in the cartouche of the papal coat of arms chosen by Leo XIV, consists of the words of St. Augustine in his commentary on Psalm 127 'In the one Christ we are one'.

Pope began his Augustinian novitiate in 1977 in the province of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Saint Louis and made his vows on 29 August 1981. He has also held prominent positions in the Order, including Prior General from 2001 to 2013.

Who are the Augustinians?

The Order of Saint Augustine is one of the oldest religious families in the Church. It was founded in March 1244, when Pope Innocent IV promoted the unification of several groups of hermits already inspired by the Rule of St. Augustine. In 1256 Pope Alexander IV officially established the Order of the Hermits of St. Augustine, giving it a centralised and recognised organisation.

It was therefore not St Augustine of Hippo who founded the order. But it is from him and his Rule that the doctrine of the Augustinians is inspired.

Around 388/389 St Augustine returned to Tagaste (today Souk Ahras in Algeria) after his conversion in Milan. There he began to live a common life, in poverty, prayer and study, together with some companions. In Hippo he became a priest and began his life in common with some companions in a monastery he founded. During this period Augustine wrote the Rule.

The monastic life of many religious communities has been inspired by the precepts contained in this set of writings attributed to Augustine. Among the indications found in the Rule we find living together, in community, in the sharing of goods, in voluntary poverty and in the constant search for truth through study, prayer and service.

Nel Monastero Agostiniano

Robert Francis assieme a 15 monache l’8 maggio 2025

Il futuro Papa attorniato da 15 monache sorridenti del Monastero Agostiniano via dei Santi Quattro, a Roma: è quanto mostra una foto postata l’8 maggio 2025 dalle religiose sul loro profilo Instagram. Sotto scrivono solo 'Grazie!!!!'. Instagram/Monache agostiniane

Charitas et Scientia

The Order is divided into provinces and vicariates all over the world.

Augustinians devote themselves to teaching, preaching, running parishes and shrines, and social work for the poor, migrants, the marginalised and the elderly.

A distinctive feature of the Order is the balance between community life, study and mission, which is reflected in the official motto: Charitas et Scientia (Charity and Knowledge). An expression of the Augustinian vision according to which charity is the privileged path to truth and study is service to the community and faith.

Famous Augustinians were St Rita of Cascia, St Nicholas of Tolentino and St Thomas of Villanova.

Augustinian life as community life

Augustinian holiness is rooted in the community dimension, inner conversion and concrete commitment to one's neighbour. According to Augustinian theology and rule, there is no true holiness without community, without inner transformation and without active charity. Holiness, for Augustine, cannot be lived alone: it is realised in the bond with the other, in living in common with others and in building unity. In the Augustinian tradition this is expressed in educational, missionary and social activities.