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Hoax – A viral text claims that Robert Prevost, the current Pope Leo XIV, turned down an offer from Harvard Law School in 1975 to serve as a missionary in Peru, becoming a symbol of renunciation and service to the poor.
Analysis
The election of Robert Prevost as pope has triggered a wave of fake news online. The latest is a story about the now Pope Leo XIV and his early life.
An inspiring narrative about his youth has circulated on social media in several languages. It claims he rejected a spot at Harvard Law School in 1975 to dedicate his life to religious missions in Peru. The story is told in epic tones, highlighting supposed heroic acts like carrying food for days, sleeping on dirt floors, and speaking Quechua, the ancient Incan language. Read:
1975: This man made a shocking decision: He turned down Harvard Law to serve in the poorest villages of Peru. Now, he’s the 267th Pope. • Speaks the ancestral language of the Incas • Walked 8 hours to help the poor • First U.S.-born Pope The untold story of the newly elected Pope Robert Prevost: In 1975, Robert Prevost was on top. A math teacher in Chicago. A devout Catholic. Accepted to Harvard Law. He had everything a young man could dream of. But then – he made a decision no one expected. He said no to Harvard. No to a six-figure future. No to fame. No to comfort. And yes – to something few dare to choose: a life of total service.
He joined a missionary group and moved to Peru. Not to cities. Not to tourist sites. But to the most remote villages – where children die of treatable diseases. And families walk miles for clean water. No roads. No plumbing. No Wi-Fi. Just mountains. Silence. And poverty. But he embraced it all as home. Robert didn’t just live among the people. He became one of them. • Learned Quechua – the sacred language of the Incas • Carried food on foot for days • Slept on dirt floors with the locals • Prayed under the stars When he wasn’t building shelters, he taught math to barefoot children under broken roofs.
When he wasn’t teaching, he led the sick on donkeys to seek help. When he wasn’t healing, he truly listened – to stories no one else cared to hear. While his childhood friends became lawyers and doctors, he became something else: A pastor A brother A silent warrior of faith And slowly, his legend grew. His acts weren’t publicized, but echoed through the Andes. Bishops noticed. Priests noticed. And finally, the Vatican noticed. He was called back to lead the entire Augustinian order. From serving a village, he came to oversee 2,800 brothers in over 40 countries.
Still – he kept the same sandals Still – he walked with the poor Still – he rejected luxury Then came the call that changed everything: Rome wanted him closer. In 2020, he was appointed archbishop and tasked with overseeing other bishops around the world. It was rare. But Robert never sought tradition. He wasn’t just fluent in Latin or Canon Law. He was fluent in compassion In humility In listening In presence The Vatican didn’t just see a priest. They saw a leader with soul. On September 30, 2023, Pope Francis made it official: Robert Prevost was named Cardinal. Just one step below the Pope.
And then… in 2025 History was made. For the first time, An American A former math teacher A missionary of the forgotten Was elevated as the 267th Pope of the Catholic Church. And he did not forget the people who shaped him. To this day, Pope Robert still returns to those same villages. Still prays in Quechua Still sits on dirt floors Still holds the elderly’s hands in silence Because leadership, he believes: Is about presence, not position The world is obsessed with power. But Robert Prevost proves: • Titles mean nothing without service • Knowledge is useless without love • And faith – without sacrifice – is just noise He rejected the world. And changed it instead.
Fact-check
The story gained traction, but we found multiple inaccuracies in the alleged biography of the new Pope. To verify the content, we’ll address the following: 1) Is the story about Robert Prevost (Pope Leo XIV) rejecting Harvard in 1975 true? 2) What is Robert Prevost’s (Pope Leo XIV) relationship with Peru? 3) What else is wrong with the text?
Is the story about Robert Prevost (Pope Leo XIV) rejecting Harvard in 1975 true?
Despite some truthful elements, like Prevost’s missionary work in Peru, many parts of the viral story are unsupported by official records or his biography published by the Vatican. Other outlets, such as The Sun, present a different history than the one in the text.
There is no evidence that Robert Prevost was accepted to Harvard or declined it in 1975. According to his official biography, he completed a degree in Mathematics at Villanova University in 1977 and entered the novitiate of the Order of St. Augustine the same year. No teaching records or mentions of Harvard exist in reliable sources.
What is Robert Prevost’s (Pope Leo XIV) relationship with Peru?
As shown in the biographies consulted for this fact-check, Robert Prevost served as a missionary in Peru, but only from the mid-1980s onward. He was initially sent to Chulucanas in 1985 and then spent over a decade in Trujillo. There, he held important religious, academic, and social roles, including professor of Theology and Canon Law and parish priest in impoverished communities.
What else is wrong with the text?
Beyond the false Harvard claim and incorrect timeline, the text is filled with unverified dramatic elements. There is no evidence Prevost walked “8 hours with the sick,” carried food for days, or turned down a “six-figure future.” Nor can we confirm he speaks Quechua or frequently slept on dirt floors. The story uses inspirational storytelling but diverges from documented historical facts.
Conclusion
The claim that Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, turned down Harvard in 1975 to live as a missionary among the poor in Peru is not supported by official records. While his missionary work in Peru during the 1980s and 1990s is real and commendable, the viral story exaggerates or invents key details, distorting his life story to make it more epic. It is, therefore, a hoax blending real facts with fictional or inaccurate elements.
Fake news 
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