Pope's brother: Even as a child, he celebrated mass on the ironing board

Washington - Not a pilot or astronaut, but definitely heading for the heavens: The new pope began his career as a priest as a schoolchild, says his brother. Leo XIV is a kindred spirit of the late Pope Francis.

Published on 09.05.2025 at 10:27 –

Even as a child, the new Pope Leo XIV wanted to become a priest, according to his brother. "He knew it straight away. I don't think he ever questioned it," John Prevost told US broadcaster ABC (Thursday). "I don't think he ever thought about anything else." According to this, little Robert Prevost not only "celebrated" the "mass" on the ironing board at home, which served as an altar. According to John Prevost, a neighbour had already predicted to him in first grade that he would become the first US pope.

On Tuesday, the day before the 133 cardinals took their seats in the conclave in Rome, he told his brother Robert the same thing. Cardinal Prevost described this as "nonsense": "They will not elect an American pope," his brother quoted him as saying. "He just didn't believe it or didn't want to believe it."

John Prevost expects his brother to follow in the footsteps of the late Pope Francis and stand up for the disadvantaged and the poor. The new Pope Leo XIV has a lot in common with his predecessor. "I think because they were both in South America at the same time - in Peru and Argentina - they had the same experiences in missionary work and in working with the oppressed." The 69-year-old Pope Leo XIV grew up in Chicago as the youngest of three brothers in Dolton, a suburb on the south side of Chicago. (KNA)