Pope Leo XIV was once a student called Robert Francis Prevost, and studied a surprising degree at Villanova University where he walked the same halls as two of the most famous faces on Earth
Pope Leo XIV has been the new head of the Catholic Church for less than a week, after being elected on May 8. Considering how many loved his predecessor Pope Francis I, the papal conclave took over social media by storm, with countless people – Catholic or not – watching with baited breath to see who would become the next supreme pontiff.
While several frontrunners became clear, not many expected Robert Francis Prevost to win the vote, with the Chicagoan becoming the first American pope. Considering his background, Leo XIV has an all-American history with many surprising twists and turns – and internet sleuths have just uncovered a very interesting tidbit about his university years.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, social media users are going wild about a photo of the young pope in his old college yearbook. Born in 1955, Prevost went to Villanova University. It turns out that he’s not the only famous face to have attended the school, but he’s taken a very different path to some of his fellow alumni.
In the photo of young Leo XIV, the bishop is seen rocking a full head of dark hair, and posing with a serious expression while sporting a slick suit. ‘Robert F. Provost’ is written above the pope-to-be. The world leader joined the private Catholic university after leaving St. Augustine Seminary High School on the honour roll – and serving as an altar boy at his local St. Mary of the Assumption Church – and graduated in 1977 with a degree in mathematics.
While becoming the pope is hardly an easy task, Provost isn’t alone in exceeding expectations after graduating from Villanova. Jill Biden, the wife of Joe Biden and former First Lady of the United States of America, also attended the institution. Jill had already bagged plenty of degrees, but went to Villanova for her second graduate degree and gained her Master of Arts in 1987.
On the flip side, Hollywood star Bradley Cooper also went to Villanova straight out of high school. The actor only attended for one year, before he switched to Georgetown University – which is also private and Catholic but took him out of his birth state of Pennsylvania.
While Bradley was raised Catholic and still identifies with the Church, his path has taken him far away from the Vatican. Unlike Prevost, you’re more likely to see the star on the red carpet than blessing babies – and Bradley has taken on some very unorthodox roles in films such as Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, and The Hangover.
Villanova is now in the public eye thanks to its connection to Pope Leo XIV, and even rang church bells around its campus to mark its old student’s appointment as head of the Catholic Church. The institution also released a statement, with President Rev. Peter M. Donohue enthusing: “As an Augustinian Catholic institution, we celebrate this significant day for our University community and the global Church.
“Villanova, built on the teachings of St. Augustine, has always been grounded in advancing a deeper understanding of the fundamental relationship between faith and reason, between spirituality and wisdom.
“With today’s election of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, I cannot help but reflect on what his Augustinian papacy will mean to our University community and our world. Known for his humility, gentle spirit, prudence and warmth, Pope Leo XIV’s leadership offers an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to our educational mission.”