Two men, fifteen centuries apart, yet bound by their name and their mission: to guide the Church through turbulent times. Today, we journey into the lives of Pope Robert Francis Prevost—now calling himself Leo XIV and Saint Leo the Great, Bishop of Rome in the waning days of the Western Empire. What shaped their minds, what defined their ministries, and how do their legacies speak to us across the ages?
I. Pope Robert Francis Prevost (Leo XIV)
Origins and Early Years
Robert Francis Prevost was born on September 14, 1955, in Chicago’s vibrant Little Village neighborhood. His father, Louis Prevost, a Navy veteran of mixed French and Italian heritage, and his mother, Mildred Martínez, a school librarian of Spanish descent, raised him in a household rich with stories of faith and service. As an altar boy at St. Mary of the Assumption, young Robert absorbed a deep reverence for the liturgy—a spark that would guide his entire life.
Education and Augustinian Calling
After high school, Prevost entered the Augustinian minor seminary in Villanova, Pennsylvania. There, he discovered a love for mathematics alongside theology, earning a bachelor’s in math before pursuing a Master of Divinity. In Rome, at the Angelicum, he delved into moral theology and canon law, absorbing the Church’s intellectual tradition even as he cultivated a pastoral heart.
Missionary and Academic Service in Peru
In 1985, Father Prevost answered the call to Latin America, serving for nearly two decades in the Peruvian Andes. He balanced work as a parish priest—walking dusty mountain paths to baptize children and counsel elders—with teaching future priests at the seminary in Huamachuco. His fluency in Spanish and his joy in simple hospitality won him warm respect among indigenous communities.
Leadership within the Augustinian Order
Elected Prior General in 2001, Prevost guided the global Augustinians through renewal after centuries of change. He emphasized formation, encouraged intercultural dialogue, and strengthened ties between vowed religious and lay partners. Under his leadership, new convents opened in Asia and Africa.
Episcopal Ministry and Vatican Roles
In 2015, Pope Francis named him Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru—an area marked by both rural poverty and rapid urban growth. Prevost championed community-based catechesis and launched programs to train lay leaders. By 2023, he returned to Rome as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, overseeing the selection of new bishops worldwide, and as President of the Commission for Latin America, where he pressed for greater women’s participation in decision-making.
The Conclave and a New Papacy
On May 8, 2025, hidden beneath the white smoke, Cardinal Prevost emerged from the Sistine Chapel—elected pope on the fourth ballot. Taking the name Leo XIV, he instantly became the first North American pope and the first Augustinian since the fifteenth century. From the balcony of Saint Peter’s, he addressed the faithful in English, Spanish, and Italian, calling for a “Church on the margins,” one that walks alongside migrants, listens to the young, and builds bridges across divisions.
Core Beliefs and Initiatives
Pope Leo XIV brings to his ministry a blend of doctrinal fidelity and pastoral innovation. He preaches Eucharistic adoration weekly, while also championing digital evangelization. He has convened a global synodal assembly to deepen co-responsibility among clergy and laity, and he has established a special fund to aid refugees worldwide. His clear teaching on marriage and family life upholds tradition even as his warm personality disarms critics and opens hearts.
II. Saint Leo the Great (c. 400 – 461)
Aristocratic Roots and Ecclesial Rise
Born around 400 AD in Tuscany to a noble Roman family, Leo was educated in the classical arts and Christian theology. Ordained a deacon under Popes Coelestine and Sixtus, he quickly gained a reputation for eloquence and learning. Emperors and bishops alike sought his counsel on doctrinal disputes.
Election as Bishop of Rome
In autumn of 440, after months of negotiations among clergy and senators, Leo was chosen Bishop of Rome. From day one, he saw himself as Peter’s successor, the guardian of the universal faith.
Defender of Orthodoxy: The Tome of Leo
When Eastern bishops questioned Christ’s nature, Pope Leo penned a decisive letter—his “Tome”—affirming that Jesus Christ is one Person in two natures, fully divine and fully human. Presented at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, his clarity settled one of the Church’s greatest theological crises and became a cornerstone of orthodox Christology.
Diplomat to Barbarian Hordes
In 452, as Attila the Hun advanced toward Rome, Leo journeyed to meet him at the River Mincio. Contemporary accounts differ on whether he offered persuasion, prayer, or tribute—but the result was the same: Attila turned away, sparing the Eternal City. Three years later, Leo also negotiated with Geiseric the Vandal king, averting further destruction. These acts earned him the title “the Great.”
Shepherd and Preacher
Beyond diplomacy, Leo cared deeply for the poor. He organized grain distributions, rebuilt churches, and preached against the moral laxity he saw in both clergy and laity. Ninety-seven of his sermons survive, revealing a pastor who combined firm exhortation with pastoral tenderness.
Miracles and Sainthood
Hagiographers record that, caught in a storm without light, Leo’s very garments shone like lamps to guide him home. He died on November 10, 461, after celebrating Mass—reportedly singing “I will go unto the altar of God” as his final words. Canonized in 1754 and proclaimed a Doctor of the Church, his feast day remains November 10.
III. Two Leos, One Mission
Guardians of Truth and Mercy
Both Leo I and Leo XIV faced crises: one defended doctrine against heresy and barbarism; the other shepherds a global flock amid secularism, migration, and internal calls for reform. Each insisted that the papal office must be at once firm in teaching and loving in charity.
Continuity and Adaptation
Leo the Great wrote in Latin, addressing fifth-century bishops; Leo XIV tweets and holds video conferences, yet both share a vision of synodality—consulting laity and clergy alike—and of a Church that goes outward to the peripheries.
Enduring Legacies
The “Tome of Leo” still shapes theological textbooks; Pope Leo XIV’s synodal process is already reshaping parish life around the world. Their lives remind us that every era demands new approaches, yet the essence of the papal ministry—unity, truth, service—remains unchanged.
From the lantern-like light of a fifth-century bishop to the vibrant hope of the first North American pope, the story of the two Leos invites us to witness a living tradition: a Church rooted in history, yet always called to fresh expression. As we look to tomorrow, their witness challenges us: how will we, too, carry the torch of faith into our own age?
