Meet Pope Leo XIV’s Family: All About His Parents and Brothers (and Their Chicago Roots!)

​ Meet Pope Leo XIV’s Family: All About His Parents and Brothers (and Their Chicago Roots!) Pope Leo XIV’s brother John said the new pontiff will be “following in Francis’ footsteps”

Pope Leo XIV ‘s family might’ve predicted he would become a religious leader one day, but it all still feels like a dream.

On May 8, 2025, Cardinal Robert Prevost, now known as Pope Leo, was elected as the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, making history as the first American-born pontiff. Leo’s parents, Louis Marius Prevost and Mildred Martínez, welcomed him on Sept. 14, 1955, in Chicago, where he was raised alongside brothers Louis and John.

During a conversation with NBC News shortly after Pope Leo made his first appearance on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, his brother John answered the question on everyone’s minds: Yes, the new pope did watch 2024’s Conclave .

The same day, John told ABC News that his brother was destined to become a religious leader.

“Some people play school, some people play army, he played priest, and we had to go to Mass,” he recalled of their childhood. “He knew right then and there that this is not a joke. ... The women down the street said he would be the first American pope.”

On Oct. 13, Pope Leo underwent surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung after being diagnosed with lung cancer. The same day, Louis’ wife, Deborah Prevost, told CBS News that Louis recently “fell out of remission” for multiple myeloma , a cancer he was first diagnosed with in 2017.

From their Chicago upbringing to what they’ve said about his new role, here’s everything to know about Pope Leo XIV’s family, including his parents and two brothers.

Pope Leo’s father, Louis, was a school superintendent, while his mother, Mildred, was a librarian who was deeply involved in parish life, per The New York Times .

According to the Chicago Tribune , Mildred grew up in Chicago with five sisters and graduated from all-girls Immaculata High School in June 1929. Per the outlet, both Mildred and Louis received graduate degrees in the same education program at DePaul University in 1949.

Mildred died in 1990, followed by Louis in 1997.

Although they aren’t alive anymore to see their son become pope, Pope Leo’s brother John said his parents would “be on Cloud 9,” per The New York Times .

NBCNews/TikTok; James Veysey/Shutterstock

Pope Leo grew up alongside his two older siblings, Louis and John, who are especially proud of their brother.

“He was elected, I got up immediately, got dressed, dancing around like an idiot, just because it’s incredible,” Louis told ABC News.

His brother John added, “I don’t think it’s really sunk in. It’s kind of surreal. It’s great pride.”

Louis also said that they used to tease their brother, saying, “You’re going to be the pope one day ... he just had it about him.”

According to The New York Times , John is a retired educator and school principal who lives in suburban Chicago, while Louis has relocated to Florida.

Pope Leo and his two brothers grew up in Dolton, Ill., a town just outside of Chicago, according to The New York Times. Per the outlet, they attended church and school at St. Mary of the Assumption Parish on Chicago’s South Side.

According to John, Pope Leo is a fan of the White Sox , not the Chicago Cubs.

Simone Risoluti - Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty

Pope Leo’s dad is of French and Italian descent, while his mom is of Spanish descent, per Vatican News . But, according to The New York Times , the family also has Creole roots in New Orleans .

Per the outlet, the pope’s maternal grandparents lived in New Orleans’ Seventh Ward, an area known to be traditionally Catholic and a melting pot of people with African, Caribbean and European roots.

John told the outlet that their paternal grandparents were from France and that his father had been born in the United States. The retired educator also said that he and his brothers did not discuss their Creole roots and that they do not identify as Black.

Though Pope Leo is succeeding Pope Francis in the wake of his death, John is confident that he will continue his legacy, per The New York Times .

“The best way I could describe him right now is that he will be following in Francis’ footsteps,” John said. “They were very good friends. They knew each other before he was pope, before my brother even was bishop.”

The new pontiff’s brother went on to tell ABC News that people might not see a big initial difference between Pope Leo and Pope Francis.

“I think they were two of a kind,” he said.

ABC News; Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty

John described his brother’s political views as “middle of the road,” per The New York Times .

“I don’t think we’ll see extremes either way,” he said, adding that he wouldn’t be afraid to use his platform to take a stand on certain issues.

“I don’t think he’ll stay quiet for too long if he has something to say,” John said. “I know he’s not happy with what’s going on with immigration. I know that for a fact. How far he’ll go with it is only one’s guess, but he won’t just sit back. I don’t think he’ll be the silent one.”

Meanwhile, Louis told ABC News that he is hoping his brother can “bring all these sides together.”

“I wouldn’t call him a conservative, I wouldn’t call him a liberal,” he continued. “I think he’s open-minded enough. He seeks out guidance not only praying to God and the Holy Spirit, but from fellow Cardinals, from the nuns, from priests [and] bishops.”

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Source: Lifestyle