What To Know About Pope Leo XIV And His PA Ties

The Catholic Church has its first American pope in Villanova graduate and now-former cardinal Robert Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV.

Here are five things to know about the new pope and his ties to the region.

1. He grew up in Illinois

The pope’s family had been living in a house on East 141st Place in Dolton when he was born, just blocks from St. Mary of the Assumption parish on Chicago’s far south side, where Prevost graduated from grade school, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

“We used to pray with our hands, you know, our fingers pointing to heaven, and, after a while, you get tired of doing that, and you just want to fold them over,” 69-year-old Marianne Angarola, a former classmate of the pope, told the Sun-Times.

“Robert Prevost never folded his hands over. He was just godly. Not in an in-your-face way. It was part of his aura, like he was hand-selected, and he embraced it. And he wasn’t weird. He was nice.”

2. He is a Villanova graduate

Prevost attended Villanova University from 1973 to 1977. He graduated with a bachelor of science degree in mathematics before committing himself to the priesthood.

The university issued the following statement Thursday: “As an Augustinian Catholic institution, we celebrate this significant day for our University community and the global Church," University President Peter M. Donohue said early Thursday afternoon. "With today’s election of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, I cannot help but reflect on what his Augustinian papacy will mean to our University community and our world...Pope Leo XIV’s leadership offers an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to our educational mission."

After graduating from Villanova, Prevost returned to his native Chicago, where he obtained a master of divinity degree from the Catholic Theological Union in 1982. He was ordained as a priest the same year.

3. His parents had deep ties to the Catholic community

Both of the pope's parents had jobs working for religious institutions during their professional lives, according to the Sun-Times.

His father, Louis Prevost, had a career in education, leading Glenwood School District 167 and Mount Carmel Elementary School in Chicago Heights, the newspaper reported.

His mother, Mildred Prevost, attended DePaul University for library science and worked at Holy Name Cathedral, Von Steuben High School and Mendel College Prep High School, according to the Sun-Times.

“She was one of the ladies that we called church ladies,” Angarola told the newspaper “They went to Mass on a daily basis. They cleaned the altars, the church, the sacristy. She was involved in everything, including the fundraising activities. I don’t ever remember seeing her wear pants.”

4. He speaks five languages

The pope speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese, the Sun-Times reported.

He is also a Peruvian citizen and lived for years in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop.

5. He was promoted to cardinal by Pope Francis

Prevost was named a cardinal by his predecessor in 2023 and took the position in 2024, according to Vatican News.

Francis brought Prevost to the Vatican in 2023 as the powerful head of the office that vets bishop nominations, one of the most important jobs in the Catholic Church, and to assume the presidency of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

He presided over one of the most revolutionary reforms Francis made, when he added three women to the voting bloc that decides which bishop nominations to forward to the pope. In early 2025, Francis again showed his esteem by appointing Prevost to the most senior rank of cardinals.

READ MORE: First American Pope Named [PHOTOS]

The Associated Press contributed reporting