Pope Leo XIV visited Tamil Nadu, Kerala twice; vicars recall ‘a simple, kind man’
The newly elected Pope Leo XIV visited Tamil Nadu, Kerala nearly two decades ago, but his kindness and humility are fondly remembered by those he met in the two states
As Pope Leo XIV assumes the papacy, Catholics across the globe are celebrating. But in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the joy is marked by something more personal: a sense of familiarity. Known as Robert Prevost before his papal duties, Pope Leo XIV, who served as the Prior General of the Augustinian order from 2001 to 2013, visited the two states in 2004 and 2006.
His stops included an ordination ceremony in Kerala and a memorable visit to Shenbagam Matriculation Higher Secondary School near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. In both states, those who met him recall a man of warmth and humility.
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The Pope’s South Indian visit is a source of pride and joy, especially for those associated with the Shenbagam Matriculation Higher Secondary School near Coimbatore, which he visited in 2006. His interactions with local seminarians and clergy during his visits left a lasting impression of a leader deeply committed to missionary work and the uplift of the marginalised.
‘A simple, kind man’
Fr Wilson OSA, the Regional Vicar of the Augustinians, recounts his encounters with the then Prior General, describing him as a ‘kind and simple man.’ He adds: “Even when I met him in Rome this February, he remembered his visits to India. He spoke about coming back in 2026.” He reminisced about Prevost’s humility and his strong connection with the Augustinian community in India, indicating the Pope’s link with the region and its people.
His tenure as Prior General saw Prevost travel to all 58 countries where the Augustinian order is active.
In Shenbagam School, a photograph of Robert Prevost from his 2006 visit — a cherished keepsake — still hangs in a corner. Teachers and former students recall his easy manner with the children and his interest in their lives. “We didn’t know he would become Pope one day,” says a former teacher, “but we knew he was someone special.”
His visit to Kerala
His tenure as Prior General saw Prevost travel to all 58 countries where the Augustinian order is active; it exemplifies his dedication to the order and its missionary objectives. In 2004, he attended an ordination ceremony in Kerala. Church members say his presence was encouraging and sincere: “He took time to talk to people, listen to their stories.”
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To the global Catholic world, Pope Leo XIV is a newly anointed spiritual leader. But in the churches of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, he’s remembered as a man who walked with them, listened to them, and shared their meals and prayers. For Christians in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, it feels as though one of their own has ascended to one of the most revered positions in Christianity.
