Vatican City: To commemorate the six-month milestone of Pope Leo XIV’s election, Vatican Radio, Vatican News will release Leo from Chicago, a documentary exploring the Pope’s American origins, on November 10. The film will be available in English, Italian, and Spanish on Vatican News platforms at 6:00 p.m. Rome time.
The documentary traces the life and journey of Robert Francis Prevost, from his childhood in Dolton, Illinois, to his studies, family background, and eventual Augustinian vocation. Viewers are offered an intimate glimpse into his early years through the recollections of his brothers, Louis and John, as well as interviews with teachers, classmates, longtime friends, and members of his religious community. The narrative highlights how his formative experiences in the United States shaped the man who would become Pope Leo XIV.
Leo from Chicago follows the earlier June release of León de Perú, which chronicled Pope Leo’s missionary years in Peru. The production is a collaboration between the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, the Archdiocese of Chicago, and Apostolado El Sembrador Nueva Evangelización (ESNE). The documentary was produced by Vatican journalists Deborah Castellano Lubov, Salvatore Cernuzio, and Felipe Herrera-Espaliat, who conducted on-location shoots across the United States, with editing by Jaime Vizcaíno Haro.
The film will debut on the Vatican News YouTube channel at 6:00 p.m. (Rome time) on Monday, November 10, and will be shared through various international media outlets, offering global audiences an opportunity to connect with the Pope’s American heritage and early life.