The International Study Center Leo XIV at Santo Spirito
The International Study Center Leo XIV was founded at the Augustinian Convent of Santo Spirito in Florence, within the long-standing spiritual, cultural, and intellectual tradition that has characterized this place for centuries.
The Augustinian Community of Florence is among the promoters of the Center, recognizing Santo Spirito as a natural setting for research, study, and dialogue between faith, culture, and civic life.
The Center was canonically erected in August 2025 within the Order of Saint Augustine, with the assent of the Holy Father, by decree of the Prior General of the Order, Father Alejandro Moral Antón, in agreement with the Prior Provincial of the Augustinian Province of Italy, Father Gabriele Pedicino.
In December 2025, the Study Center was subsequently established as an Entity of the Third Sector (ETS), acquiring a stable legal status recognized also under civil law.
Its permanent headquarters are located at the Convent of Santo Spirito, a place that over the centuries has served as a point of reference for theological reflection, dialogue with humanistic culture, the development of social thought, and civic engagement inspired by Augustinian spirituality.
The International Study Center Leo XIV draws inspiration from the magisterium of Pope Leo XIV and from the Social Doctrine of the Church, promoting education in political life understood in its highest sense: service to the common good, responsibility toward the community, and the pursuit of justice and peace.
Within this perspective, the Center operates at both national and international levels as a place of study, research, and cultural production, engaging in dialogue with academia, institutions, and civil society.
The presence of the Study Center at Santo Spirito strengthens the Basilica’s historic vocation as a living place of thought, dialogue, and intellectual engagement, where the Augustinian tradition continues to take shape through cultural commitment and social responsibility.
To learn more about the history, activities, and mission of the International Study Center Leo XIV, please visit the official website.
