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Augustinian Friend Paints Pope León XIV as Humble, Accessible Figure

Firsthand anecdotes published by Spanish outlets highlight long personal ties and signal continuity in the new pope’s pastoral style.

Overview

  • Spanish reports published Thursday relay testimony from Ángel Camino, an Augustinian priest, following Robert Prevost’s election as Pope León XIV.
  • Camino says he and Prevost have been close for about 25 years and calls himself the pope’s “amigo del alma,” a phrase he uses to describe an intense, deep bond.
  • Journalists published a short message Prevost reportedly sent to Camino — “Ángel, muchas gracias por tu mensaje. Todo en las manos de Dios” — which sources present as one of his last notes before becoming pope.
  • A photograph and accounts describe a private February meeting at the Vatican in which Prevost embraced Camino, details used by reporters to illustrate personal continuity after the election.
  • The coverage reframes Prevost’s shift from a named papabile on betting lists to pontiff by focusing on personal character and relationships while noting these are journalistic accounts rather than official Vatican statements.