Pope Leo is in fact the first pope from the Order of St Augustine (OSA), commonly known as the Augustinians.
The Order of Saint Augustine traces its spiritual roots to Saint Augustine of Hippo (354–430 AD), one of the greatest Fathers of the church, although St Augustine himself did not found a religious order in the modern sense.
His writings, especially the Rule of Saint Augustine, became foundational for later religious communities seeking a communal and apostolic life.
St Augustine, who was a diocesan bishop in North Africa, lived a monastic life with his clergy centered on prayer, study, and service. In the following centuries, various monastic communities adopted St Augustine’s rule, forming a loose network of houses whose members were known as Augustinian Canons, although they were not yet united into a single religious order.
The Hermits of St Augustine, as a formal mendicant order, was founded in 1244 when Pope Innocent IV sought to bring together several hermit groups in Italy who were living under the Rule of Saint Augustine.
The union was solidified in 1256 by Pope Alexander IV, in an event known as the Grand Union. The new Order of St Augustine was modeled after the Franciscans and Dominicans, adopting the mendicant way of life and living in poverty, devoting themselves to preaching and serving the faithful in urban areas.
By the late Middle Ages, the Augustinian Friars had spread throughout Europe and into mission territories.
They founded schools, parishes, and missions, and were known for their intellectual contributions and pastoral care. During the Counter-Reformation, the order experienced a renewal, with an emphasis on education, missionary work, and stricter observance of religious life.
At the heart of Augustinian spirituality is a deep interior life, communal life with the other friars, and a passionate search for God through truth and love.
One of St Augustine’s famous statements, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you”, reflects the soul’s desire for God, a desire at the heart of Augustinian spirituality.
The friars emphasise this inward journey, seeking God through contemplation, prayer, and self-knowledge, in order to carry their love for God to others.
Living in community is not optional for Augustinians; it is essential. St Augustine believed that one cannot live the Christian life alone. The Augustinian community is a place where mutual love, truth, and unity are cultivated.
This unity, known in Latin as unitas, is a central theme in Augustinian spirituality. Pope Leo has in fact put unity in the Church as one of the first priorities of his papacy. The Augustinian motto, “One heart and one soul on the way to God” (cor unum et anima una in Deum), drawn from Acts 4:32, reflects this priority.
Augustinian spirituality is deeply Christocentric and is rooted in love, not just as an emotion but as an active commitment to the well-being of others.
Love, for Augustine, is the path to God. The friars aim to be ministers of love, especially to those on the margins of society.
Augustinians are also committed to the intellectual life. They seek truth not merely through study, but through prayer and lived experience.
The Word of God, particularly in Scripture and in preaching, holds a central place in their spiritual life.
Like St Augustine, who was both a theologian and a pastor, the friars aim to be contemplative and at the same time active, both scholars and servants.
Today, the Augustinian Order is present in 47 countries, with thousands of friars serving the church and society.
They conduct schools, universities, parishes, and missions, and are involved in work for social justice, interfaith dialogue, and education.
