A remarkable new documentary has revealed intimate childhood photographs of Pope Leo XIV, showing the global religious leader as an ordinary American boy growing up in a modest Chicago suburb long before his ascent to the papacy.
Early Life in Dolton, Illinois
The black and white images, featured in the Vatican News documentary Leo from Chicago, capture a young Robert Prevost - the future Pope Leo XIV - with bright eyes, soft curls and what his brothers describe as an angelic grin. The photographs show him progressing from toddler to teenager, eventually becoming a self-possessed young man in a suit and tie.
Born and raised in the tight-knit community of Dolton, Illinois, Pope Leo XIV experienced what his siblings describe as a typical Catholic upbringing in a surprisingly modest home. His older brothers Louis and John shared intimate details of their family life that the public has never seen before.
The family home was essentially a one-bedroom, one-bath property with a kitchen, living room, dining room, basement and unfinished upstairs. Louis recalled that the future Pope's crib had to be squeezed into the dining room due to the limited space.
Foundation of Faith and Family
Faith formed the cornerstone of the Prevost household from morning until night. John remembered how their parents would retreat to the living room each evening after dinner to pray the rosary daily. Their mother demonstrated particular devotion, attending 6am Mass regularly before returning home to prepare the children for school.
Despite the strong religious foundation, the children's world remained thoroughly ordinary and all-American. Louis noted that they ate typical American food - hamburgers, Thursday-night steak and fish on Fridays. The neighbourhood streets became their playground, where they would block off roads for baseball games, cycle through the community and walk daily to their Catholic school.
Early Signs of a Calling
Both brothers recalled unmistakable indications of their younger brother's future vocation from an early age. John described how Robert would transform the basement ironing board into a makeshift altar, complete with tablecloth, where he would conduct regular Mass services. He knew all the prayers in both Latin and English, demonstrating remarkable religious knowledge for his age.
Louis remembered an incident at Beaubien Woods when older boys threatened to steal their bicycles. Rather than showing fear, young Robert calmly approached the group and began talking to them. Within minutes, he had defused the tension and transformed potential adversaries into almost-friends, displaying the same calm authority that would later characterise his papal leadership.
Even the nuns at his school recognised something special in him. Louis recalled one telling him, 'Robert Francis, you could be pope one day' - a prediction that his brothers teased him about at the time.
Educational Journey and Religious Vocation
After completing his childhood education in Illinois, Prevost entered the Order of St Augustine as a novice in 1977, making his solemn vows in 1981. This permanent commitment marked his full entry into religious life.
His academic journey included a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics at Villanova University in 1977, followed by theological studies at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, where he earned a Master of Divinity. He pursued advanced canon law studies at Rome's Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas, obtaining both Licentiate and Doctorate degrees.
Prevost spent many years serving in Peru within the Augustinian missions before his responsibilities brought him into increasing contact with senior Church leadership in Rome. His fluency in multiple languages - including English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese, along with reading ability in Latin and German - proved invaluable as he worked across different cultures.
His relationship with Pope Francis developed through years of collaboration within the Curia, shaped by mutual respect and shared commitment to pastoral care. When his name began circulating during the recent conclave, few Vatican insiders expressed surprise.
Looking at the childhood photographs today, it remains striking how much of the man he would become was visible even in those early years - the wide-eyed child from grainy family albums who would eventually step onto the global stage as Pope Leo XIV.
