Pope Leo XIV has unveiled his papal coat of arms, a deeply symbolic emblem reflecting his Augustinian heritage and his commitment to fostering unity and communion within the Church during his pontificate.
The shield is diagonally divided into two distinct sections. The upper portion features a blue background adorned with a white lily, symbolizing purity and devotion. The lower half presents a light background with a key image associated with the Order of Saint Augustine: a closed book pierced by an arrow through a heart a reference to Saint Augustine’s dramatic encounter with God’s Word. The symbol draws from Augustine’s own words: “Vulnerasti cor meum verbo tuo” (“You have pierced my heart with your Word”).
At the heart of Pope Leo XIV’s vision for the Church is his chosen motto: “In Illo uno unum” (“In the One, we are one”). Taken from Saint Augustine’s commentary on Psalm 127, the phrase reflects the Pope’s desire to build a Church grounded in unity through Christ. Augustine writes, “Although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one.”
In a 2023 interview with Vatican News, then-Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost explained the depth of meaning behind the phrase. “Unity and communion are truly part of the charism of the Order of Saint Augustine, and also of my way of acting and thinking,” he said. “As an Augustinian, promoting unity in the Church is fundamental — and aligns closely with the Synod’s key pillars: communion, participation, and mission.”
The coat of arms and motto together signal Pope Leo XIV’s intention to guide the global Church with a pastoral heart rooted in theological tradition, emphasizing collective identity in Christ and a renewed call to spiritual communion.
Sartuday morning, Pope Leo XIV met with the College of Cardinals for his first official address since his election, outlining key priorities for his pontificate in the age of artificial intelligence and invoking the legacy of both Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIII. ”In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.” he said.
He also explained why he chose the name ‘LEO’, ”I chose to take the name Leo XIV. There are different reasons for this, but mainly because Pope Leo XIII in his historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution.” The pope stated ”
Pope Leo XIV was elected on Thursday 8th, May 2025 after four rounds of voting. He became the first Pope ever to be elected from the United States of America.
