Pope Leo XIV visited the Philippines twice before he became the head of the Catholic Church on Thursday, May 8.
Pope Leo XIV was a Philippine visitor twice
Pontiff was in Cebu in 2004, Manila in 2010
POPE Leo XIV, then Father Robert Prevost, presiding over a Mass at the San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila, in 2010. (CBCP News FB)
The Pontiff – then Father Robert Prevost – visited Cebu and Manila in 2004 and 2010, respectively.
He was in Talisay City, Cebu to bless a friary of the Order of Saint Augustine of the Santo Niño de Cebu Parish on Jan. 31, 2004.
Pope Leo XIV was then the prior general or head of the Order of Saint Augustine at the time.
“With great joy, the Augustinian Province of Santo Niño de Cebu–Philippines joins the Catholic Church in praying for Robert Cardinal Prevost, OSA—now Pope Leo XIV—as he begins his ministry as the 267th Supreme Pontiff,” the Augustinian Province of Santo Niño de Cebu–Philippines said in a Facebook post.
It shared photos of the Pontiff during his visit in their Facebook page.
Six years later in September 2010, Pope Leo XIV was once again back in Manila for the congregation's Intermediate General Chapter.
The Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) shared photos of the Pope presiding over a Mass at the San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila.
The Pope also visited the Colegio San Agustin in Binan City, Laguna and University of Regina Carmeli in Malolos City, Bulacan as part of the event.
"Little did we know that the warm and humble Prior General who walked our halls would one day become the first Augustinian Pope and the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church," Colegio San Agustin-Binan said in a Facebook post.
The Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu in Cebu City and the
San Agustin Church are under the care of the Augustinians.