His friend’s advice to Pope Leo XIV: that he is always a witness of the risen Christ

“I wish him to always be a witness of the resurrected Christ, who gives us peace and unity.” This is the simple advice that gives Pope Leo XIV one of his best friends, the prior of the Basilica of Santo Spirito in Florence, Fr. Giuseppe Pagano.

“Your commitments should be taken calmly,” he says in statements to ACI Print This Italian priest who, like all those who know Robert Prevosts for decades, call him with love “Father Bob.”

“I met him in 1983, when we both studied at the Santa Mónica International College of Rome. He was already a priest and studied canon law; I was still theology,” recalls Fr. Pagano. “Our friendship began during those studies and continued years later, when Pope Leo XIV was a general father of the Order. I had the joy of working with him for five years. It is a friendship linked to the joy of being Augustine and sharing the values ​​of the fraternity,” he adds.

Among the many memories he keeps, a shared trip to Vienna and Belgium stands out and that says a lot about the character of the new Pontiff. “A trip that gathered us to talk about many issues related to the life of our order, but also about the beauty of the places we visited,” says P. Pagano, who does not hide the emotion he lived last Thursday when – after the White Smoking – his friend came out for the central balcony of the Basilica of San Pedro.

“I lived it with great joy to see him so excited,” he confesses.

P. Pagano is convinced that the inheritance of St. Augustine will print a unit character to the Pontificate of Leo XIV. Among the many projects that the order makes in Italy, the “beautiful service” that provide in sanctuaries and parishes, even internationally.

In fact, one of his first surprises of the Pope was to visit the sanctuary of Our Lady of the Good Council, located in Genazzano, a small town 60 kilometers from Rome, of which Leo XIV is very devout.

“We take great care to our saints and blessed, with attention to the needs of today’s world, and all this in a community and unity style, without ever losing sight of the dimension of inner life,” he emphasizes.

One of the projects that most excite him takes place precisely in his community of Florence: “We want to create a cultural center for young people, in continuity with our current cultural commitment. And always with attention to young people, through community experiences.”