Pope Leo XIV moves into Vatican apartments with community of Augustinians
Pope Leo XIV will share the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace with a small community of Augustinian brethren for the first time in modern history, moving into renovated papal apartments later this year. This marks a departure from Pope Francis’s preference for the simpler Santa Marta residence. The 16th-century palace, where the pope’s bedroom, private study, and medical suite are located, will include three or four rooms for his Augustinian companions. Father Edgard Rimaycuna, the Pope’s Peruvian personal secretary, is among those expected to move in. Vatican correspondent Iacopo Scaramuzzi noted that while Pope Leo XIV’s return to the papal apartments differs from Francis’s approach, he remains committed to Augustinian community living, a tradition he vowed to uphold after being elected. The Vatican has repaired water and humidity damage from 12 years of vacancy, with recent issues like a detached cornice prompting urgent fixes.