09/05/2025

In addition to being a theologian, Pope Leo XIV was a mathematician.

Elected this Thursday (8) to the highest office in the Catholic Church, the new Pope Leo XIV, in addition to being a theologian, is a mathematician by training. He began his studies at the seminary of the Order of Saint Augustine and graduated in Mathematical Sciences from Villanova University, in Pennsylvania, in 1977.

Later, he obtained a master's degree in Theology and a doctorate in Canon Law, standing out for his intellectual capacity and dedication to his studies.

Villanova is the only Augustinian college in the United States and stands out for its academic rigor and humanistic education. The institution has over 140,000 alumni worldwide and boasts a 93.3% success rate for students with guaranteed job opportunities after graduation.

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Robert Francis Prevost, Pope Leo XIV, came from a multicultural family. His father, with French and Italian ancestry, and his mother, with Spanish roots, reflect the diversity of his origins. Fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, and French, he also understands Portuguese and is able to read Latin and German. In addition to being an American citizen, he also holds Peruvian nationality.

Leo XIV is the third mathematician pope in history. Besides the most recent pontiff, Pope Sylvester II (139th Pope, from April 2, 999 to May 12, 1003) and Pope John XXI (187th Pope, from September 20, 1276 to May 20, 1277) were also mathematicians.