Pope Leo XIV, his brother reveals his favorite video games

Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff in history, maintains a strong bond with his origins in Chicago, and in a video his brother reveals his passion for puns

In an unprecedented historical event, Cardinal Robert Prevost, a native of Chicago, has been elected Supreme Pontiff, taking the name Pope Leo XIV. He is the first American pope in the history of the Catholic Church, a fact that has attracted great international attention. Although he carried out much of his ministry in Peru, his habits and interests reveal a still strong connection to the culture of his home country. Among the curiosities that have emerged since his election, the new pontiff's interest in digital language games stands out. According to his brother John Prevost, a resident of Illinois, Pope Leo XIV is an avid player of Wordle, the popular online game of the New York Times based on the identification of five-letter words, and of Words With Friends, a pastime similar to Scrabble that allows real-time challenges between two players. The brother said that these activities are a shared routine between the two, even in the days leading up to the start of the conclave.

@nbcnews John Prevost, Pope Leo XIV's older brother, talks to @NBC Chicago about his conversations with his brother before the #conclave ♬ original sound - nbcnews

John Prevost also said he spoke with the future pope on the eve of his election, asking him if he had seen the film Conclave, released in 2024 and centered on a fictional papal election. The new pontiff had just finished watching the film before his election, according to his brother. Among the anecdotes that emerged, there is also a clarification on a seemingly marginal issue but felt at a local level: the sports affiliation of the new pope. Although some social media posts have suggested a sympathy for the Chicago Cubs, John Prevost confirmed that his brother is originally from the south side of the city and has always been a fan of the Chicago White Sox.