TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Chicago has found itself in the global spotlight following the election of Robert Francis Prevost as the 267th Pope of the Catholic Church during the conclave held on May 7 and 8, 2025.
Born on September 14, 1955, Prevost has chosen the papal name Pope Leo XIV and made history as the first Pope from the United States. He was born in Chicago, a city located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan in the state of Illinois.
According to Fodors, Pope Leo XIV was born at Mercy Hospital in Chicago. His father, Louis Marius Prevost, was an educator who served as Head of School at Mount Carmel Elementary in Chicago Heights.
His mother, Mildred Martinez, worked as a librarian. Pope Leo XIV has two siblings named Louis Martin and Joh Joseph.
Pope Leo’s Roots in Chicago
The Pope’s childhood home is located at 212 E. 141st Place. The house is a simple brick structure, similar to many homes in what is often called The Windy City.
Not far from their residence, the Prevost family regularly attended Mass at St. Mary Parish in Riverdale, which is located at 310 E. 137th Street. Although the building still stands, the church is no longer active.
Records show that the parish was established in 1886 with about 30 families. The first Mass was held in early 1887, and a new church building was completed in 1957. According to the Chicago Tribune, Prevost graduated in 1969.
In 2011, St. Mary Parish was merged with the nearby Queen of Apostles parish due to a decline in the local Catholic population. The former church building is now empty and in a state of disrepair, with missing furniture and a visible hole in the roof. Many properties in the area are abandoned, including a neighboring house that was destroyed by fire.
A Favorite Pizza Place
During his youth in Dolton, a suburb south of Chicago, Pope Leo was known by the nickname Robbie. Like many teenage boys in the area, he was an enthusiastic fan of the Chicago White Sox baseball team.
When he wanted to hang out with friends, he often went to his favorite pizza place, Aurelio’s Pizza, located at 18162 Harwood Avenue in Homewood. Aurelio’s, which opened in 1959, was one of the few pizza restaurants in the region at the time.
Although he no longer lives in Chicago, Pope Leo has returned to the restaurant several times.
Joe Aurelio, owner of the Aurelio’s Pizza franchise, recalled that the Pope’s most recent visit was about nine months ago when he came to reconnect with friends and family. A group photo was taken at the restaurant in Homewood featuring Cardinal Robert Prevost, who would later become Pope.
Due to this personal connection, Joe Aurelio plans to launch a new menu item called the “Pope-A-Roni,” a play on the word “Pope.” The restaurant has also designated a special seat known as “the Pope’s Chair,” which guests can request if they wish to sit there.
Pope Leo XIV continued his religious education at the Catholic Theological Union seminary in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago from 1978 to 1982. Among his classmates, he was known simply as Bob. Six years after completing his studies, he moved to Peru to serve as a missionary and spread the teachings of the Catholic Church.
A Changing Chicago
At the time of Pope Leo XIV’s birth, Chicago’s population was approximately 5 million, based on data from Macrotrends. Today, the city is home to more than 9 million people and ranks as the third-largest city in the United States.
In early 2025, Time Out magazine named Chicago the most beautiful city in the world. The city is known for its lush green spaces, with more than 600 parks spread over 8,800 hectares.
It also offers scenic views of Lake Michigan and is home to architectural landmarks such as the world’s first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building.
Millennium Park, one of Chicago’s premier attractions, features numerous public artworks. One of the most famous is Cloud Gate, a 32-foot-tall stainless steel sculpture created by artist Anish Kapoor. This iconic structure, often called “The Bean,” is one of the city’s top tourist photo spots.
According to Choose Chicago, the city is also a vibrant cultural hub with more than 200 theaters, 250 live music venues, and 200 professional dance companies. It hosts over 70 music festivals, 36 parades, and 40 additional festivals each year.
With such a wide variety of cultural and recreational offerings, Chicago continues to attract visitors from around the world. It is now even more noteworthy as the hometown of the Catholic Church’s first American Pope.
Editor’s Choice: Prabowo Hopes Pope Leo XIV Will Be a Bridge to World Peace
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