Vatican unveils Pope Leo XIV's official portrait

The Vatican has released the official portrait of Pope Leo XIV, marking a significant moment in his papacy. 

The portrait, shared by Vatican News captures the 69-year-old pontiff in traditional papal attire, as he steps into his role as the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

The image shows Pope Leo XIV wearing the iconic white papal cassock and a gold pectoral cross he wore during his first greeting from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica after his election. 

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The portrait includes Leo’s personal signature, “Leo P.P. XIV,” where “P.P.” signifies Pastor Pastorum, meaning Shepherd of Shepherds. 

There is also a shield on the left side, and the lower half of the shield has a light background and displays an image that recalls the Order of Saint Augustine: a closed book with a heart pierced by an arrow. 

This is a direct reference to the conversion experience of Saint Augustine himself, who described his personal encounter with God’s Word using the phrase: “Vulnerasti cor meum verbo tuo” - “You have pierced my heart with your Word.”

At the bottom of the shield lies the Pope’s motto ‘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 explained that “although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one.”

The Vatican stated that the image was provided free of charge and may only be reproduced for institutional purposes and that “any use for commercial or other purposes is expressly prohibited.”