Chicagoans are ecstatic about the election of Pope Leo XIV, also known as Father Bob. Many communities are embracing their connection to him; stories of six-degrees-of-separation are abundant. Local establishments celebrate with themed drinks. Pope Leo, originally Robert Francis Prevost, has deep ties to both Chicago and Peru, having served in Peru for over twenty years and becoming a naturalized citizen. This local pride reflects the Pope's missionary roots and the impact of his work in Latin America.
Many Chicagoans I've spoken with have shared their six-degrees-of-separation stories. Mimi Cowan, the Field Museum's director of government affairs and sponsored programs, sent me a screenshot of a text message from her parents: "Tom & I have a seriously close connection to the new Pope!!! One of our closest friends, Keith, has a cousin who is a Jesuit priest in Chicago. He is best friends with the Pope & Pope's brother!"
César Izquierdo, the owner of Taste of Peru, a popular restaurant in the Rogers Park neighborhood, said that he cried as he looked at a photo of his mother upon learning that the new Pope was from Chicago and Peru. Pope Leo spent more than two decades living in northern Peru as a young missionary.
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