People have been left stunned after discovering what Pope Leo XIV does in his spare time.
On Thursday, May 8, white smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, signaling that the papal conclave had successfully elected a new pope following the death of Pope Francis.
Soon after, the world was introduced to the newly elected pontiff: 69-year-old Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost. Appearing on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, he addressed the public for the first time as Pope Leo XIV.
Here are a few surprising facts about the 267th pope: he’s the first American in history to assume the role, having been born in Chicago, and he spent a significant portion of his life serving as a missionary in Peru.
Given his deep religious dedication, many find it hard to imagine the studious cardinal—and now the leader of the Roman Catholic Church—engaging in ordinary pastimes like watching TV, playing video games, or doom-scrolling through social media.
The new pope was unveiled from the Vatican yesterday (ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)
It turns out Pope Leo might not be so different from the rest of us after all.
His older brother, John Prevost—a retired Catholic school principal—shared details of a recent conversation with NBC News.
“First, we do Wordle—because that’s our regular routine—then we play Words With Friends. It helps take his mind off the weight of the real world,” John explained.
They also shared a few lighthearted moments. “I asked, ‘Do you have your red socks?’—which doesn’t always go over well,” he joked. “Then I said, ‘Are you ready for this? Did you watch the movie Conclave so you know how to behave?’ Turns out he had just finished it,” John added with a laugh. “So, yes—he knew how to behave.”
“It’s those kinds of moments that help lighten the mood. I just wanted to make him laugh, especially now that he carries such an incredible responsibility.”
Dozens have expressed amazement at the revelation, with many admitting they had never considered that the Pope might have a family.
One user wrote on Reddit: “I may sound really dumb, but this video made me realize the Pope has family… I don’t know, I just always thought of the Pope as some singular figure throughout his life.”
Another responded: “No, same! It’s wild that his brother is just out here living in suburbia.”
“It’s so nice to see the human side of the new Pope,” added another, as many found comfort in the image of Pope Leo spending time with loved ones, playing games, and watching movies.
In an interview with CBS Chicago, John, the Pope’s older brother, shared that as a teenager, Leo loved getting behind the wheel, but he always seemed destined for the role of pontiff—often pretending to be a priest during childhood games.
John Prevost spoke at length about his brother’s hobbies and what he will be like as the new pope (CBS Chicago)
Like millions around the world, the Prevost family saw the historic moment unfold live on television, only hearing the news when they heard their name being called from the balcony.
John said: “[My niece] screamed and I was sort of, ‘Oh my gosh, this is for real. Is this happening?'”
Trying to summarise how he felt in the moment, he said: “Shock. Disbelief. A whole lot of pride. A whole lot of, ‘is this for real? Now what are we gonna do?’ That kind of stuff, because this is an awesome responsibility that we have to live up to, that he has to live up to.”
“People are going to be watching him from now on closer than ever and maybe us too, the family.”
John also said he believes Pope Leo will follow in Pope Francis’ footsteps, as the two shared a passion for helping the disenfranchised, the poor and the underprivileged.
