Just two months after the election for Pope Robert Provost (Leon XIV) survived one of the funniest and most human moments of his pontificate.
The American Pope called his former bank in South Chicago to update the phone number on his account. The hotline operator requested standard verification, but the banking system required a personal visit with ID. The Holy Father calmly explained that he could not come personally.
At that time, the cult sentence was taken: "Would it matter to you if I told you I'm Pope Leo?". (Would it matter to you if I said I was Pope Leon?)
The employee... put the phone down. And she hung up.
The story came to light thanks to Father Tom McCarthy, an Augustian who had known the Pope for 43 years. He told it during a meeting at Saints Peter and Paul Parish near Chicago.
In the end, the matter was dealt with with by "channels of the Order" – another Augustian called the president of the bank and everything was arranged. The bank just asked the information not to go outside... And of course she left.
It's one of those anecdotes that perfectly demonstrates how much Pope Leon XIV remains an ordinary man – even as the head of the Church. The American Pope, a former Augustine general, tries to settle a simple banking case... and gets a typical bank answer.
History has rapidly swept the world and has become one of the most widely commented events of recent days. Because even the pope is sometimes unable to convince the ordinary cashier.
