The Coat of Arms of Leo XIV
The coat of arms is divided diagonally into two sections: the upper part has a blue background and features a white lily; the lower part has a light background and displays an image associated with the Order of Saint Augustine: a closed book with a heart pierced by an arrow. This image recalls Saint Augustine’s conversion experience, which he described with the words “Vulnerasti cor meum verbo tuo” – “You have pierced my heart with Your Word.”
The Motto: “In Illo uno unum”
In its essential elements, Leo XIV retained the same coat of arms he chose at his episcopal consecration, as well as the motto “In Illo uno unum.” These are the words Saint Augustine spoke in a sermon, the Exposition of Psalm 127, to explain that “although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one.”
In an interview with Vatican media in July 2023, then-Cardinal Prevost explained: “As my episcopal motto suggests, unity and communion are part of the charism of the Order of Saint Augustine and also shape my way of acting and thinking. I believe it’s essential to promote communion in the Church, and we know well that communion, participation, and mission are the three key words of the Synod. So, as an Augustinian, promoting unity and communion is fundamental for me. Saint Augustine speaks often about unity in the Church and the need to live it.”
Photo: Vatican Media
