For the first time in nearly 800 years, a member of the Order of St. Augustine has been elected to the highest position in the Catholic Church.

Meet Pope Leo XIV — formerly known as Robert Prevost — who made history on Thursday when he became the first pope from the Augustinian order.

This election isn’t just a personal milestone for Pope Leo XIV, but a significant moment for the Augustinians, one of the Church’s oldest religious orders.

Though widely respected, no member of this ancient order had ever taken the papal throne — until now.

A Look Back at St. Augustine and His Legacy

The roots of the Order of St. Augustine go way back to the 13th century, when several communities following the teachings of St. Augustine were unified into a single group.

But the real beginning of the story lies with the man himself — St. Augustine of Hippo, who lived from 354 to 430 A.D.

St. Augustine wasn’t always a saint-in-the-making.

In fact, he famously wandered away from the Christian faith during his younger years, living a life of indulgence while establishing himself as a respected philosopher.

His dramatic return to the Church was largely influenced by St. Ambrose and the persistent prayers of his mother, St. Monica.

Eventually, Augustine became a bishop in North Africa, where he spent decades battling heresies and penning works that would go on to shape Christian theology for centuries.

His “Confessions” and “The City of God” remain staples of Christian philosophy to this day.

How the Augustinian Order Took Shape

During his time as bishop, Augustine lived in community with his clergy — a lifestyle that inspired others to follow in his footsteps.

He even wrote guides like De opere monachorum to help others adopt this monastic way of life.

Over time, his “Rule,” which emphasizes love, humility, and shared community life, gained widespread popularity.

By the mid-1200s, Pope Innocent IV and later Pope Alexander IV brought together various groups under this Rule to form what we now know as the Order of St. Augustine.

These friars, known as mendicants, took vows of poverty and dedicated themselves to pastoral, educational, and missionary work.

Just a century after the order’s unification, there were already 8,000 Augustinians across multiple countries.

They went on to establish missions across Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia — including in Peru, where Pope Leo XIV would eventually carry out much of his ministry.

The Augustinians in the U.S.

The Augustinian presence in the U.S. dates back to the 1790s, when they responded to an invitation from Bishop John Carroll of Baltimore.

Today, they’re organized into three regional provinces based in Philadelphia, Chicago, and San Diego.

Despite their long and influential history, no Augustinian had ever been elected pope — until Leo XIV.

While several popes followed Augustine’s Rule as canons regular, none belonged to the actual Augustinian order.

Notable saints from the order include St. Nicholas of Tolentino and St. Thomas of Villanova.

From Michigan to the Vatican: The Journey of Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo XIV’s journey began in the American Midwest.

Born Robert Prevost, he attended an Augustinian high school in Michigan before earning a mathematics degree from Villanova University, which is run by the Augustinians.

He took his solemn vows in 1981 and was ordained a priest the following year after theological studies in Chicago.

He later earned a doctorate in canon law from Rome’s Angelicum university.

Prevost’s ministry took him to Peru, where he served as a canon law teacher and ecclesiastical judge in Trujillo for a decade.

After returning to the U.S., he led the Chicago province of the Augustinians and eventually was elected as the order’s worldwide leader — a role he held for over a decade.

A New Chapter for the Church

With Pope Leo XIV now leading the Catholic Church, the legacy of St. Augustine finds a new chapter in the Vatican.

His election marks not just a new beginning for the Augustinians, but potentially a fresh direction for the Church rooted in the timeless values of humility, community, and love of neighbor.