Pope Leo XIV: 10 fun facts about newly appointed American pontiff Robert Prevost

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Pope Leo XIV: 10 fun facts about newly appointed American pontiff Robert Prevost

Cardinal Robert Prevost has just been anointed as the 267th head of the Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Leo XIV.

While the world seeks to learn more about the first American pontiff, we’ve listed 10 fun facts about him to get you up to speed.

Academic history

Raised in Chicago, the Pope attended St. Augustine Seminary High School in Michigan, which was run by the order of Saint Augustine.

He then relocated to Pennsylvania, where he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics in 1977.

Returning to his childhood roots, he moved back to Chicago where he earned a degree in divinity from the prestigious Theological Union of Chicago.

At 27, the American’s superiors encouraged him to venture to Rome to study Canon Law at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum).

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Origins and family

While born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and becoming just the second pontiff in history from the Americas behind his predecessor Francis, Pope Leo’s parents are of European origins.

His mother Mildred Martinez was of Spanish descent and worked as a librarian, believed to have had two sisters who were nuns.

Louis Prevost, his father of French and Spanish roots, served in the Navy in World War II after working as an educator.

Pope Leo has two older brothers, Louis Martin and John Joseph, who recognised his Catholic Church ambitions from a young age. They even told him he’d be “pope one day”.

“He knew right away. I don’t think he’s ever questioned it. I don’t think he’s ever thought of anything else,” John Prevost told ABC News in the US.

The newly elected pontiff’s brother also admitted the pontiff thought it was unlikely the Conclave would select him due to his American ties, calling his chances “nonsense” and “just talk”.

“They’re not going to pick an American pope,” John Prevost relayed.

“He just didn’t believe it, or didn’t want to believe it.

He’s a baseball fan

Hailing from Chicago, a city which boasts two Major League Baseball teams in the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox, the Pope’s brother John Prevost set the record straight about his allegiances.

“He was never ever a Cubs fan, so I don’t know where that came from. He was always a Sox fan,” the Pope’s brother told WGN.

Chicago White Sox posted a social media tribute following his appointment, even canvassing a dedicated Pope Leo 14 baseball jersey.

“Congratulations to Chicago’s own Pope Leo XIV,” the team said.

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Pope Leo. What’s in a name?

While the former Cardinal is yet to explain the reasoning behind his chosen name, it’s believed he drew inspiration from Pope Leo XIII, who served for 25 years between 1878-1903.

The fourth longest serving pontiff in the Catholic Church’s history was remembered for his social teaching and championing of labor rights.

Following Pope Leo’s anointment, ******** spokesperson Matteo Bruni said the choice of name “is a clear reference to the modern social doctrine of the Church, which began with Rerum Novarum”.

Introduced by Pope Leo XIII in 1891, Rerum Novarum was an encyclical which lay the foundation for Rights and Duties of Capital and Labor in the Catholic Church. It directly translates to ‘of revolutionary change’.

Of the list of names used by heads of the Roman Catholic Church over 2000 years, Leo is the fifth-most popular.

Topping the list is ‘John’, selected in 23 instances. A tie for second is shared between ‘Gregory’ and ‘Benedict’, both adopted 16 times.

Favourite Aussie snack

Brother Mark O’Connor, Head of Communications at Parramatta Diocese in New South Wales, revealed he’s spent time with the new pontiff in recent years.

“Just two weeks ago, I’ve been here for two weeks, I had a meeting with him for an hour, I invited him to come to Australia to give a lecture. I don’t think he’ll be coming now that he’s got this new job,” Brother Mark told ABC radio.

“But I brought him in a present. He looked at the bag and he said, ‘I hope it’s not Vegemite’, and I said ‘No no no, it’s Tim Tam biscuits.

“Because he’s been to Australia before, and he didn’t particularly like Vegemite. But he does like Tim Tam biscuits.”

Brother Mark described Pope Leo as a “wonderful, humble, gentle leader”.

How his appointment stacks up

Elected on Thursday in a secret Conclave made up of 133 cardinals, the most ever, the announcement of Pope Leo as the 267th pontiff came on Thursday, on the second day of voting and fourth ballot.

A two-thirds majority of 89 votes was required to reach this verdict.

For reference, this was only the fifth pope to be elected after two days since 1900 — following Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 and Pope Francis in 2013.

Camera IconNewly elected Pope Francis waves to the waiting crowd from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on March 13, 2013 in ******** City, ********. Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as the 266th Pontiff and will lead the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics. Credit: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

The longest duration in this ******* was Pope Pius XI in 1922, requiring 14 ballots and five days of voting. Ironically, his successor was the most hastily selected, Pope Pius XII in 1939, who required just three ballots.

Perhaps the most tiresome pursuit to elect a pontiff came in 1271, with Pope Gregory X chosen after two years, nine months and two days.

At 69, Pope Leo is younger in age than his predecessors upon appointment, with Benedict 78 and Francis 76 at the commencement of their respective papacies.

Stars align for Virgo pope

Born on September 14, 1955, those who subscribe to the astrological powers of the universe might expect the Virgo-born Pope Leo to prioritise his work, wellbeing, those close to him, and the planet.

Strengths of Virgos typically relate to loyalty, kindness, and pragmatism.

However, weaknesses suggest a criticism of their themselves, with a tendency to prioritise work over leisure. Shyness may also be a consistent theme for Virgos.

Brother Mark O’Connor compared the pontiff to Pope Francis, a Sagittarius, saying Pope Leo is “more gently in style, he’s more low-key perhaps, he’s less prone to making impulsive statements”.

You’ve got a friend in me

Joseph Farrell, the vicar general of the order of St. Augustine, said his friend and former Cardinal Robert Prevost hates to keep people waiting and is “the fastest on text”.

Farrell also revealed the pontiff enjoys playing tennis and typically hits the court once a week.

He referred to his friend as “a good guy, the best”.

Dual citizen

Born and bred in the US, Pope Leo spent much of his life dedicated to Roman Catholicism teachings based in Peru.

While preparing his doctoral thesis at the Augustinian mission in Chulucanas, Piura in Peru in 1985-1986, he returned to the nation in 1987 where he joined the the mission in Trujillo as director of the joint formation project for Augustinian candidates from the vicariates of Chulucanas, Iquitos, and Apurímac.

The next eleven years saw him serve as a missionary in various roles, including as as prior of the community, formation director, instructor, judicial vicar, and professor.

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Returning to the US for roughly 15 years where the pontfiff took on various Augustinian titles, he was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo in Peru by Pope Francis in 2015 where he served until 2023.

The pontiff became a Peruvian citizen in 2015.

Pope Leo’s road to Rome began in January 2023 when Pope Francis assigned him as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. He was promoted to the rank of Archbishop.

Sorry Trump, he’s no MAGA man

Pope Leo has been politically vocal on social media for years, and the American’s appointment comes at a strange and particularly divided time in the US.

He has never been afraid to criticise the Trump administration, especially their stance on immigration, and recently called out Catholic convert JD Vance for comments he’s likely unqualified speaking about.

Vance said Christian teachings advocate for prioritising love in the order of family, then neighbours, community, fellow citizens, and finally, the world.

However, the former cardinal took issue with that response and vented on X.

“JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others,” he said.

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In 2018, the pope reposted Cardinal Blase Cupich’s criticism of the Trump administration’s family separation policy, an initiative introduced during Trump’s first term.

Several other Trump orders have also been singled out by the pontiff, even as far back as 2015 when the President was a Republican primary candidate.

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