Pope Leo XIV by Catholic Church England and Wales / Flickr (Left), Shutterstock (Right)
CV NEWS FEED // When he was a child, Pope Leo XIV would pretend to be a priest and celebrate Mass, his brother John Prevost said this week according to news outlet RTE.
“He took our mom’s ironing board and put a tablecloth over it and we had to go to Mass,” Prevost recalled of his brother, then-Robert Prevost.
He told reporters that the future pontiff was confident in his Latin and English prayers and took pretend-saying the Mass quite seriously.
ABC News reported that Prevost also said Pope Leo XIV knew what his vocation was from an early age.
“He knew right away,” he said. “I don’t think he’s ever questioned it. I don’t think he’s ever thought of anything else.”
Throughout his priestly ministry, Pope Leo XIV had spent many years in Peru, serving as a missionary, a community prior, and later as the bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023.
Despite his many travels, he has stayed in close touch with his two brothers in recent years, according to the Associated Press. John Prevost told the outlet that they would call every day, although now that will likely look different with his brother now being pope.
He shared with the Associated Press that he is immensely proud of his brother becoming pope, describing the election as “quite an honor.”