In the whirlwind of fascination surrounding newly elected Pope Leo XIV, one unexpected detail has captured the imagination of the online world.

It’s not his nationality – nor his age – but the religious figurehead’s undergraduate degree.

Born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, the 69-year-old Pontiff has been described by admirers as an intriguing blend of old-school reverence and modern sensibility.

Dubbed the ‘Latin Yankee’ by the Italian press, he’s a far cry from the more traditional papal image.

He speaks five languages, has spent decades working in Latin America and Europe, and he’s a fan of the 2024 thriller Conclave – which he reportedly watched shortly before living out the real thing.

But it’s a quieter detail from his past that’s currently making waves online.

Long before white vestments and Vatican addresses, Pope Leo was a quiet, academically gifted student at Villanova University, an Augustinian institution in Pennsylvania.

He graduated in 1977. And while some might have guessed he studied theology or philosophy, the truth is far more unexpected.