Pope Leo XIV and the Philippines: ties that bind

Metro Manila, Philippines - Before his historic election as the 267th head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV - or Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost - had visited the country a number of times in his younger years as a priest.

As a member of the Order of Saint Augustine, Prevost engaged with the Augustinian community and local Church leaders in early 2000.

In 2004, he led the blessing of the Santo Niño de Cebu Parish friary. The Augustinian Province of Santo Niño de Cebu-Philippines recently shared photos of that event when Prevost was a missionary friar.

In 2008, he returned to Cebu to officiate the blessing of the Santo Niño Spirituality Center in Consolacion town as part of the silver jubilee celebration of the Augustinian Province. At the time, he was the head of the Order of Saint Augustine, a position he held from 2001 to 2013.

One of his most significant visits took place in 2010, when the Philippines hosted the Intermediate General Chapter of the Order of Saint Augustine from Sept. 19 to 30. The event was held at key religious venues including the San Agustin Church in Intramuros.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines also recalled Prevost’s visit in September 2010 for the Intermediate General Chapter of the Order of Saint Augustine, and presided Mass at the historic San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila

Prevost was elevated to cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023 and elected pope on May 8 after the death of Pope Francis. He was chosen on the conclave’s second day.

He is the first pontiff from the Augustinian order and the second from the Americas.