Jetlagged but excited, Pope Leo XIV’s brother, John Prevost, is catching up on daily life after a whirlwind few days in the Vatican.
Prevost is freshly arrived home after spending time with his brother following his election to the papacy. He said his priorities when he got home were mowing the lawn, enjoying a beer and letting a wild new reality set in.
“This is as life-altering event for everybody, not just for the Catholic Church,” he said. “I was stunned at how quickly the vote went.”
During his time in Rome, Prevost attended multiple events with his brother, going on two different church trips outside the Vatican, and he said the massive crowds were an incredible sight.
The newly elected Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV reacts from the Vatican balcony, in Vatican City, Vatican, on May 8.Christopher Furlong / Getty Images
“It was supposed to be secret, but all the way there, both sides, jammed, four or five people deep,” Prevost said. “Screaming and hollering, ‘Papa! Papa! Papa!’ He rolled down his window and shook hands with as many people as he could. It just changed their facial expression.”
There’s been plenty of talk of what the pope’s philosophy will be and whether it will represent a departure from his predecessor or a continuation of his work, but Prevost said his brother recognizes that “people are looking for hope” and that he wants to focus on unity.
“I think he’ll be a second Pope Francis,” he said.
Prevost also shared photos with NBC Chicago of his parents and his siblings, and said he believed his brother was always destined for a critically important role.
“He’s a man of the world. And so what better person to be pope,” he said.
Unsurprisingly, Prevost said that things are still slowly sinking in.
“You also feel a sense of pride, a sense of, ‘Is this for real?’” he said. “It didn’t hit me until last night — that this is for real, life-changing, and then life will go on.”
Prevost also said there was a stack of mail at his home when he returned, but that plenty of it was meant for the new pope.
“People bore their souls, so I’m going to give them something back,” he said.
Prevost said he was amused by the White Sox’s reaction to the news that his brother was a fan of the South Siders, and also answered another critical question for a Chicagoan: thin-crust or deep-dish pizza?
“Thin crust, because that’s what I like too,” he said.
Prevost asked the public to continue praying for his brother, who will be formally inaugurated as pope in a Mass on Sunday.
“Keep watching and keep praying,” Prevost said. “I think this is going to be a great thing for the church and for the country and the world.”
