Vatican City: The Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication is set to release an intimate new documentary, Leo from Chicago, offering a vivid portrait of Pope Leo XIV’s formative years in the United States. The documentary provides viewers with a rare glimpse into the life of the Pope before his election on May 8, 2025, exploring his family, education, vocation, and personal passions through testimonies, archival images, and stories from those closest to him.
The film opens in Dolton, Illinois, at the Prevost family home, where Pope Leo’s brothers, Louis Martin and John Prevost, recount childhood memories filled with curiosity, faith, and early indications of a calling to religious life. From playful recitations of Latin prayers to celebrating makeshift Masses as a young boy, the documentary highlights the spiritual foundation that would later shape the man chosen to lead the global Catholic Church.
The narrative then follows Pope Leo’s journey through the streets of Chicago, capturing his educational and spiritual formation under the Augustinians, his studies at the Catholic Theological Union, and his formative experiences in local neighborhoods, restaurants, and sports venues, including the beloved Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox. Journalists Deborah Castellano Lubov, Salvatore Cernuzio, and Felipe Herrera-Espaliat weave together these locations with interviews from over 30 individuals who personally witnessed Pope Leo’s early life, friendships, and social engagement.
Beyond his intellectual and spiritual formation, Leo from Chicago delves into his everyday life and personal interests. Viewers learn of his love for 1960s and 1970s music, passion for baseball, enjoyment of driving, and simple pleasures like watching television. The documentary also traces his path of discernment toward the Order of St. Augustine, highlighting his studies in mathematics and theology, early initiatives to protect life, and the deep bonds he formed with fellow students.
The documentary further underscores Pope Leo’s global calling, showing his transition from his American homeland to Peru, where he served in mission, before eventually leading one of the world’s most prominent religious orders. Throughout, the film emphasizes his calm demeanor, decisive leadership, and ability to connect with people across cultures qualities that have defined his papacy.
Leo from Chicago follows the success of León de Perú, released in June, which explored Pope Leo’s years of service in South America. The new documentary promises to deepen public understanding of Pope Leo XIV by portraying him not just as the leader of the Catholic Church, but as a man shaped by family, community, and formative experiences across the United States. It is set to premiere soon on the Vatican’s media channels, inviting viewers to trace the roots of a Pope whose journey spans continents and cultures.