Pope Leo XIV’s family has been cheering him as he reaches major milestone moments.
Cardinal Robert Prevost, now known as Pope Leo, was born to Louis Marius Prevost and Mildred Martínez in September 1955. He was raised in Chicago alongside brothers Louis Martin Prevost and John Joseph Prevost. In 2025, Leo made history when he was elected as the first American-born pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.
For John, Leo’s hope in becoming the 267th pope was not a surprise. “Some people play school or some people play army, he played priest, and we had to go to Mass,” he recalled to ABC News in 2025 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. Since first grade, they said that.”
Louis, for his part, told ABC News, “He was elected, I got up immediately, got dressed, dancing around like an idiot, just because it’s incredible.”
Scroll down to meet his late parents and two brothers:
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Mom Mildred Martínez
The New York Times reported that Leo has Creole roots, noting that his maternal grandparents lived in New Orleans’ Seventh Ward. Per the outlet, Mildred was born in Chicago in 1912.
Per the Chicago Tribune, Mildred was raised in Chicago with five sisters and graduated from Immaculata High School in 1929. The outlet reported that Mildred and Luis received graduate degrees from an education program at DePaul University in 1949.
Mildred served as a librarian at Mendel Catholic High School from 1969 to 1975. She died in 1990.
Dad Louis Marius Prevost
John told The New York Times in 2025 that their paternal grandparents were from France, with his father born in the United States. Louis was born in Chicago, according to his obituary.
The Chicago Tribune reported that Louis received a degree from Woodrow Wilson Junior College in 1940, earning his graduate degree from an education program at DePaul University in 1949 – the same year as Mildred.
Per NBC News, Louis served in the Navy during World War II and was a superintendent of schools in the south suburbs of Chicago. He died in 1997, seven years after Mildred.
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Brother John Joseph Prevost
The New York Times reported that John — who is the second eldest — is a retired educator and school principal who resides in the suburbs of Chicago.
Brother Louis Martin Prevost
The New York Times reported that Louis, who is the oldest brother, has relocated to Florida.
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