Q: What is this article about?
A: This article focuses on a new Spanish-language book titled “From Robert to Leo” by Armando Lovera, which shares personal anecdotes and little-known stories about the life of Pope Leo XIV, based on Lovera’s three-decade friendship with the pontiff.
Q: What’s one of the most surprising stories shared in the book?
A: The book recounts a time when many parishioners in Trujillo, Peru, mistakenly believed Pope Leo XIV (then Father Robert Prevost) had died after his name was incorrectly listed among bus accident victims, leading to a tearful display of affection from his community.
Q: How did Lovera first become friends with the future Pope?
A: Lovera first met Prevost in Colombia in 1991 and was immediately disarmed by his approachable nature, despite his initial assumptions about a formal canon lawyer; their friendship deepened while sharing community life and pastoral experiences in Trujillo.
Q: What qualities of Pope Leo XIV deeply impressed Lovera?
A: Lovera was deeply impressed by Prevost’s courage and sense of mission when he chose to stay in Peru despite dangerous conditions, his “dazzling warmth” and approachable demeanor, as well as his dedication to service and never seeking positions within the Church.
Q: Did music play a role in their friendship and the Pope’s life?
A: Yes, music was a shared passion, with Prevost enjoying singing Peruvian music and Augustinian hymns; his musical inclination also runs deep, as his mother, Mildred, was a prominent contralto whose electric organ eventually found a home in the Augustinian formation house Prevost founded.
New book recounts anecdotes from Pope Leo XIV’s life, including the day he was reported dead
