History has been made with the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American and the first Augustinian to ascend to the papacy. But for the friars of Santo Spirito in Florence, the new pope is more than a historic figure—he’s a friend.
As a fellow Augustinian friar, Pope Leo XIV (formerly Robert Francis Prevost) has long held deep ties to the church of Santo Spirito and its prior, Father Giuseppe Pagano. The two first met as young friars studying in Rome, and their friendship has endured for decades.
Just last year, the future pope returned to Florence on one of many visits to attend the unveiling of the restored Transfigurazione del Foschi painting in the church.
Amidst the ongoing controversy around the transformation of the Basilica-adjacent Ferrucci Barracks into an upscale elderly care home, Father Pagano even suggested turning it over to Villanova University, the new Pope’s alma mater where he studied mathematics.
Santo Spirito remains a spiritual hub for the Augustinian Order. With one of their own now leading the Catholic Church, the friars of Santo Spirito find themselves uniquely close to the heart of the Vatican.
