Why does Pope Leo XIV walk so humbly among his flock? Why does he speak of the soul’s need for mercy, prayer, and perseverance? The answer may lie in a quiet chapel in northern Peru and a little-known saint who once inspired a young friar to drop to his knees in devotion.
According to ACI Prensa, Pope Leo XIV’s favorite saint is St. Nicholas of Tolentine, the 13th-century Augustinian friar known for comforting the sick, preaching through example, and tirelessly praying for the souls in purgatory. His devotion, rooted in Augustinian spirituality, goes back decades and has accompanied him through every step of his vocation.
“St. Nicholas of Tolentine is, without a doubt, his favorite saint,” said Father David Farfán Guerrero, a Peruvian priest and longtime friend of the Holy Father. “He is the protector of his perpetual vows, his great devotion within Augustinian spirituality.”
The two first met in 1985 in Chulucanas, Peru, long before Robert Prevost became Pope Leo XIV. Years later, as Bishop of Chiclayo (2015–2023), the future pope discovered a hidden treasure: a humble chapel in San Nicolás, a small village outside Chiclayo, dedicated to his beloved saint.
“This place is very special in the life of His Holiness because this is where, as I often say, ‘he put his knees to the test,’” said Father Farfán. “He had hardly arrived when he would go in and pray to the patron saint of his perpetual profession.”
Pope Leo XIV had taken his solemn vows with the Augustinian order on August 29, 1981, and chose St. Nicholas of Tolentine as his patron. It is a common custom in religious life to select a saint to serve as intercessor and example—a spiritual companion whose life reflects the vows one hopes to embody.
Years later, the future pope never imagined that “in Chiclayo, within the diocese, he would find a chapel and a village dedicated precisely to this saint,” said Farfán.
As bishop, he would often request the key to the chapel to pray alone before the image of St. Nicholas. The statue inside the chapel is more than 450 years old and was likely brought over by the first Augustinian missionaries who founded the St. Augustine Convent in nearby Zaña in the 16th century. According to Farfán, “the Augustinians who arrived [to establish] St. Augustine Convent in Zaña brought it from Europe; the image already existed there; it was simply transferred.”
The saint’s presence was not only personal but became pastoral. As part of his work forming young Augustinians in Trujillo, Bishop Prevost would lead pilgrimages on foot—more than 30 miles from Guadalupe to San Nicolás, and another 25 miles to Pomalca and Tumán—solidifying the saint’s place in the community’s spiritual journey.
What made St. Nicholas of Tolentine so special to the future pope? The answer lies in the saint’s simplicity and selflessness. Born around 1245 in Sant’Angelo in Pontano, Italy, Nicholas joined the Augustinians early in life and was sent to Tolentine, where he ministered for 30 years. He became known not for theological brilliance but for “his closeness to the people, his profound life of prayer, and his total dedication to those most in need,” according to the Order of St. Augustine.
He comforted the sick, walked through poor neighborhoods, heard endless confessions, and prayed with relentless love for souls in purgatory. He lived austerely but with great joy. As death approached in 1305, he said peacefully: “Because my God and Lord Jesus Christ, accompanied by His Holy Mother and my Holy Father Augustine, is saying to me: Come! Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.”
For Pope Leo XIV, this life of hidden holiness is a model for ministry. It speaks not of power, but of prayer. Not of status, but of service. St. Nicholas of Tolentine, canonized by Pope Eugene IV in 1446, remains a silent yet powerful influence on the Church’s newest shepherd.
In an age where noise and division distract the faithful, Pope Leo XIV’s quiet devotion to a little-known saint reminds us that holiness often begins in places the world overlooks—like a dusty chapel in rural Peru.
“This is where, as I often say, ‘he put his knees to the test,’” Father Farfán recalled. And it’s where, perhaps, the Church’s newest pope learned to walk humbly with God.
