Cardinal Robert Prevost was appointed as the new pope last week, and as more information surfaces about him, several unexpected facts are capturing public attention.
At 69 years old, Prevost was officially confirmed as the successor to Pope Francis on Thursday, 8 May. He has now taken the name Pope Leo XIV, making history as the first American ever to hold the papacy.
Since his appointment, people across social media and in the press have been eager to learn more about the man now leading the Catholic Church, particularly his background and personal beliefs.
Pope Leo XIV was born in Chicago in September 1955. Before being named a cardinal by Pope Francis, he spent decades serving as a missionary in Peru. He later became the Bishop of Chiclayo, a position he held from 2015 to 2023.
His academic journey began at the Minor Seminary of the Augustinian Fathers, and he later continued his education at Villanova University in Pennsylvania.
Interestingly, instead of pursuing a degree in Theology or Religious Studies as one might expect from someone destined for the papacy, Prevost initially chose to major in Mathematics. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, demonstrating both academic commitment and a talent for analytical thinking. In addition to math, he also studied philosophy, a subject more closely aligned with his future religious vocation.
This unexpected academic background has amused and impressed many online.
On the platform X (formerly Twitter), users shared humorous takes on the pope’s mathematical credentials.
One person joked, “The Pope being a math major means he didn’t just believe Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish—he knows how He did it.”
Another wrote, “Typical math major career options: quant, software developer, grad student… Pope,” while a third chimed in, “Pope Leo XIV studied math at Villanova. He understands sin—and cos.”
A fourth user added with tongue-in-cheek humor, “The new Pope is from Chicago and has a math degree. Just prove you can still find success even if Jump Trading rejects your first interview.”
And someone else noted, “Just learned the new pope has a math degree—so yeah, the job market for STEM roles is that bad.”
While it’s unlikely that Pope Leo XIV foresaw himself taking on the highest position in the Catholic Church when studying mathematics in the 1970s, his career path serves as a testament to the unpredictable nature of life—and perhaps divine calling.
As for those wondering if he might return to a mathematical or engineering profession someday, that’s highly improbable. Papal resignations are extraordinarily rare, with only six known cases in history.
Though he won’t receive a conventional salary in his role as pope, his new position comes with access to considerable resources and influence, far surpassing the perks of most traditional careers.
In a time of global uncertainty and change, the arrival of a pope with both missionary experience and a background in math is, if nothing else, a fascinating combination—one that has clearly caught the public’s curiosity.
