Leo XIV: The new Pope's multicultural family with Latin, European, and American roots

Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was anointed pope last Thursday and took the name Leo XIV , becoming the first American-born leader of the Catholic Church.

However, his family history reveals a diverse background, marked by European, Latin American, and Creole influences, as well as a close relationship with Peru, where he lived and ministered for three decades.

According to BBC News, he was born in Chicago in 1955, the youngest son of Louis Marius Prevost, a World War II veteran and school superintendent, and Mildred Agnes Martinez, a DePaul University graduate.

Louis Marius was descended from French immigrants, while Mildred came from a family with roots in the Dominican Republic and the Creole community of the southern United States , according to genealogical documentation cited by The New York Times.

Mildred was the daughter of Joseph Martínez, a Dominican resident of Louisiana, and Louise Baquié, a woman of Creole descent (an ethnic group historically linked to a blend of French-African-Caribbean cultures). The Prevost family lived in a modest house in the Delton neighborhood, on the outskirts of Chicago.

Prevost spent most of his pastoral career in Chiclayo, Peru, where he also obtained Peruvian citizenship. His work in the country left a significant mark, especially among migrant communities. In his first address as pope, he addressed the Diocese of Chiclayo with a greeting in Spanish:

“A special greeting to my beloved Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, where a faithful people have accompanied their bishop, shared their faith, and given so much to continue being the faithful church of Jesus Christ,” he said.

Pope Leo XIV has two older brothers: Louis Martin , who lives in Florida, and John Joseph , who remains in the Chicago region.

The two have shared anecdotes about their childhood, highlighting Robert's early religious vocation. Louis Martin recounted that while he played with toy guns, his brother preferred to simulate church celebrations . "Can I give you Communion?" he recalls him saying.

John Joseph told NBC Chicago that his parents, who died in the 1990s, only saw him as a priest, but did not witness his promotion to bishop (2015), cardinal (2023), or, much less, his election as pontiff.

“ Knowing that I would be a father would have made them extremely proud ,” he said.

The Holy See Press Office unveiled this Saturday the official coat of arms and motto of Pope Leo XIV, recently elected successor to Saint Peter. Both elements reflect continuity with his career as a bishop and his membership in the Order of Saint Augustine.

The papal coat of arms retains the design used by the pontiff during his episcopal ministry. It is divided into two diagonal fields.

At the top, on a blue background, there is a white lily, a traditional symbol of purity. Below, on a light background, there is a closed book and a heart pierced by an arrow , an image representative of the spirituality of Saint Augustine.

This last symbol refers to the conversion experience of the African saint, summarized in the Latin phrase “Vulnerasti cor meum verbo tuo” (“You have pierced my heart with your Word”).

The motto chosen by Leo XIV, “In Illo uno unum” (“In that One, one alone”), comes from a sermon by Saint Augustine on Psalm 127. This phrase emphasizes that, although Christians are many, in Christ they are one.

The motto had previously been adopted by then-Cardinal Robert Prevost and reflects the Augustinian charism of communion and unity.

*This content was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on publicly available information released to media outlets. It was also reviewed by a journalist and an editor.