A new documentary produced by the Vatican media retraces the nearly two decades that Pope Leo XIV—then Robert Francis Prevost—spent in Rome, offering a portrait of the future Pope through the memories of those who knew him during his years in the Eternal City.
Entitled “Leone a Roma” (“Leo in Rome”), the documentary follows the steps of the first American-born Pope from his arrival in Rome from the United States in 1981 through his service as Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine and later as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.
Produced on the occasion of the first anniversary of his election to the See of Peter on 8 May 2025, the film gathers testimonies, images, and personal recollections from friends, confreres, priests, religious, young people, and families who accompanied him during various stages of his Roman years.
The documentary opens with memories from those who first welcomed the young Augustinian deacon to the International College of Saint Monica after he arrived from Chicago in the early 1980s. Their recollections evoke moments of study and fraternity, prayer and pastoral activity, as well as everyday life shared among students in Rome.
It also recounts Prevost’s years as Prior General of the Augustinians, a role he held for two consecutive terms from 2001 to 2013. Former collaborators and confreres describe his leadership of the Order during years marked by international travel, missionary visits, and the governance of a global religious family.
The film further highlights his spiritual life and pastoral closeness through testimonies from those who encountered him in places of devotion and ministry—from catechism classes in Cesano to prayer at the shrine of Saint Rita in Cascia, the tomb of Saint Augustine in Pavia, and the sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano.
Attention is also given to his final Roman service before the conclave: the two years he spent in the Roman Curia as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, following his appointment by Pope Francis, who also created him cardinal.
Through these accounts, “Leone a Roma” seeks to present a portrait of the man who would become Pope Leo XIV: a friend, pastor, and leader whose years in Rome helped shape his ministry at the service of the Universal Church.
The documentary was produced by Vatican Media journalists Felipe Herrera-Espaliat, Salvatore Cernuzio, and Tiziana Campisi, with editing by Jaime Vizcaíno Haro and Stefano Anella.
It is the third documentary dedicated to Pope Leo XIV, produced by Vatican media, following “León de Perú,” released in June 2025 and focused on his missionary years in Peru, and “Leo from Chicago,” released in November 2025, on his American roots.
“Leone a Roma” will be broadcast on the Vatican media’s official channels in conjunction with the anniversary of the beginning of Pope Leo XIV’s Petrine ministry and will be made available to media organisations upon request.
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