In an interview with American television, the brother of the sovereign pontiff told an anecdote indicating that Leon XIV’s fate seemed to be traced from an early age.
pope’s brother Leon XIV assures him: a neighbor of the family would have prophesied the election of the young Robert Francis Prevost, assuring that he would become the first American pope. In an interview with ABC News and spotted by BFM TV, John Prevost said this Thursday: “When he was in the first year of primary school, a [voisine] On the other side of the street that had children with whom we played, said he would be the first American pope ”.
A completely traced destiny for the young Robert Francis Prevost, who of the years later has indeed become the first chief of the Catholic Church from the United States. This Thursday, May 8, 2025, Robert Francis Prevost became this Thursday, May 8, at 69, the first American pope in history this Thursday, although his father is of Franco-Italian origin, and his mother of Spanish origin. The Cardinal, created in 2023 by Pope Francis, has also spent many years in Peru.
“Oh my God, here we are”
An election “surrealist” For the brother of the sovereign pontiff, according to his words pronounced in his interview with American television. “I was reading a book and I received a text saying” the smoke is white ”. So I went down, and I turned the television. No one knew at that time who was the pope […] And when we heard the name, I said to myself “Oh my God, here we are”. Then it was a succession of phone calls without discontinuing ”he said.
John Prevost expressed his “Great pride” After this announcement and said it was amazed at the result given that a large number of faithful did not believe in the election of an American Pope, given the political context. “I heard everywhere that there would never be an American pope, since policies in the United States have too much power in the world today, and that it is not necessary that it is the same in the Church”he said. Leon XIV did not believe it either. The day before the conclave, he had a discussion on the phone with his brother, who told him that he was at the top of the forecasts to become the next Pope. “” He kept saying “it’s not true, it’s not true”. “
