May 2025
May 2025
Order of Saint Augustine, 1244
- Pope Leo XIV is the first pope of the Order of Saint Augustine.
- Augustinians follow spiritual ideals aimed at bringing people together, guided by ethos of the fourth and fifth century theologian saint.
- This theology focuses on unity, harmony friendship, charity and service. 1
Jesuit
- Formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, Leo becomes the second successive pope who belongs to a religious order, with his former Pope Francis was a Jesuit.
- For Jesuits, the focus is to be out there in the world and fighting in the good fight. 1
Saint Augustine
- Augustinians spirituality is based on the teachings of Saint Augustine of Hippo, who lived in North Africa. The Order of Saint Augustine was established in 1244. 1
Name Leo
- The 267th pope is joining a group of 13 other popes who took the name.
- By picking the name Leo XIV, he shows the commitment to the social teaching of the church, which was made foundational by his predecessor, Leo XIII. 2
Popes have been selecting papal names for centuries.
Usually those of previous pontiffs, they would like to emulate.
21 popes have used the name "John". Other common choices are Gregory (16), Benedict (15) and Clement (14).
For cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, that name was Francis, chose for St. Francis of Assisi, the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation.
When Pope John II was elected in 533 AD, he had changed the precedent, opting for John over his given name, Mercurius, to shed the associations with the pagan Roman god.
It appears Pope Dionysius who reigned from 259 to 268 , did not feel it necessary to create the same distance from the party lover Greek god of wine, Dionysius was a common name at that time.
It wasn't until the late 10th century, that choosing a papal name became a standard practice - with exceptions of Adrian VI in 1522 and Marcellus II in 1555, who kept their baptismal names.
Out of 264 popes, 129 chose a new name.
Francis, was the first pope since pope Lando in 913 to choose a previously unused papal name. 2 Pic:
