By Sunny A. David, Awka
Pope Leo XIV will turn 70 on September 14, and while the celebration in Rome is expected to be quiet, his family and friends in the Chicago area are preparing their own simple tributes to mark the milestone.
His brother, John Prevost of New Lenox, Illinois, said the family plans to gather at Aurelio’s Pizza in nearby Homewood, a favorite stop for the pope during a U.S. visit before his election in May. They intend to take a group photo at the restaurant with a “Happy Birthday” sign and send it to him. Aurelio’s has since added a “Pope-roni” pizza to its menu in his honor.
Prevost described his brother’s birthdays growing up as modest affairs, usually marked with cake, ice cream, and family gatherings. He recalled that angel food cake was always the future pope’s favorite.
Augustinian Father John Lydon, who lived with Pope Leo then Father Robert Prevost during his ministry in Trujillo, Peru, recalled that birthdays in the 1990s were far livelier in the South American parish. Parishioners in several districts hosted all-night celebrations filled with music, dancing, and homemade cake, in gratitude for his care and attention to the poor.
“Everyone danced,” Lydon said, noting that the parish marked the occasion with weeklong festivities, as each neighborhood wanted to honor their pastor.
This year, however, Father Lydon plans to mark the pope’s birthday with a special Mass and a short online prayer reflection for students at Villanova University.
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost in 1955, entered the Augustinian seminary at age 13 and was ordained a priest in 1982. His Ministry included extensive mission work in Peru, leadership as prior general of the Augustinian order, service as bishop of Chiclayo, and later prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops. He was created cardinal in 2023 before being elected Pope on May 8, 2025.
His brother John said turning 70 is a significant milestone, adding that the pope remains energetic. “Everyone should be able to climb stairs like Pope Leo at age 69,” he said, recalling a recent appearance at the Jubilee of Youth in Rome.
