Pope Leo has firmly taken on the role as the head of the Catholic Church in recent months, yet his Chicago accent leaves many people bewildered when they hear the religious leader speak.
Leo, originally named Robert Francis Prevost, ascended to the papacy after the death of his predecessor, Pope Francis, on Easter Monday, 2025.
Being the first American ever to assume the role of pope, Leo hails from Chicago, where he was born to parents of Spanish and Franco-Italian heritage. Despite his American roots, Leo is fluent in Italian, among other languages, and chose to deliver his inaugural address in Italian.
During his first speech, Pope Leo expressed: “Thank you to my cardinal brothers who chose me to be the successor of Peter and to walk together with you as a united Church searching all together for peace and justice, working together as women and men, faithful to Jesus Christ without fear, proclaiming Christ, to be missionaries, faithful to the gospel.
“I am a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian. He said, ‘with you I am a Christian, for you a bishop’. So may we all walk together towards that homeland that God has prepared for us.”
Since then, Pope Leo has addressed his followers multiple times, often surprising them with his distinctive speaking voice.
One interview clip featuring the 70-year-old has sparked attention online, where he discusses ‘complex issues’ such as abortion, the death penalty, and being ‘pro-life’.
In response to the video, one viewer remarked: “I don’t think popes should sound like that.”
Another suggested: “He should be required to comically fake an Italian accent.”
A different commenter humorously stated: “No pope should ever know what Illinois is.”
However, some people have embraced Leo’s accent, with one person commenting: “I think all popes should sound like this.”
This isn’t the first time Pope Leo has caught the public off guard. In the past, many were astonished to learn about the simple pastimes the religious leader enjoyed before assuming his role, as revealed by his brother, John Prevost.
Discussing how Leo relaxed before taking on his new responsibilities, Prevost shared: “First we do Wordle, because this is a regular thing OK, then we do Words With Friends.”
Upon hearing this, one viewer commented: “It’s so nice to see the human side of the new pope.”