Pope Leo XIV’s motto, coat of arms unveiled

Pope Leo XIV (File Photo: Catholic Church England and Wales/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

By Azertac, Philippine News Agency

BAKU – Pope Leo XIV has officially unveiled his papal coat of arms and motto, both deeply rooted in his Augustinian background and centered on themes of unity and communion in the Church, Vatican News reported.

The coat of arms is split diagonally.

The upper section, set against a blue background, features a white lily symbolizing purity. The lower half shows a heart pierced by an arrow atop a closed book —a powerful reference to the spiritual journey of Saint Augustine, who once wrote: “Vulnerasti cor meum verbo tuo” (“You have pierced my heart with your Word”).

Pope Leo XIV also chose his motto that reflects this Augustinian tradition: In Illo uno unum, which means “In the One, we are one.”

The phrase is taken from Saint Augustine’s Exposition on Psalm 127, where he explains that “although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one.”

In a 2023 interview, then-Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost highlighted how this motto mirrors his own commitment to unity: “Unity and communion are truly part of the charism of the Order of Saint Augustine, and of my way of thinking and acting,” he said.

He said promoting communion is key to the Church’s mission —aligning closely with the ongoing synodal themes of communion, participation, and mission.

Saint Augustine’s reflection brings the message home: “Christ —head and body— is one single man. Although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one.”