The brother of Leo XIV spoke about the childhood nickname "Pope" of the newly elected pontiff.

As a child, the new Pope Leo XIV was teased for his passion for religion and jokingly called the "pope of Rome." This was announced on May 9 by the Pope's elder brother Louis Prevost.

"We made fun of him a lot, saying, 'Na na na, you're going to be the pope,'" he said in an interview with The New York Times.

Prevost added that as a child, his brother did not pretend to be a cowboy or a bank robber like other children, but liked to play priest.

The brother of Leo XIV said that the pontiff has always been a pacifist, and expressed confidence that he would be close in spirit to his predecessor Pope Francis.

The High Priest from across the sea: an American has become the new Pope

Robert Francis Prevost took the name Leo XIV.

Cardinal Robert Prevost from the United States was elected the new pope on May 8. He is the first American cardinal with Latin American roots, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, and a representative of the Augustinian Order. As pontiff, he took the name Leo XIV.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated the new pope on his election. He wished success in fulfilling his "lofty mission, as well as good health and well-being."