Chicago hospital where Pope Leo XIV was born to honor pontiff for his 70th birthday
CHICAGO – The Chicago hospital where Pope Leo XIV was born will honor the pontiff for his 70th birthday on Monday with the dedication of a bronze plaque.
The pope was born Robert Francis Prevost on Sept. 14, 1955, at what was then known as Mercy Hospital in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood.
The hospital is now known as Insight Hospital & Medical Center.
Pope Leo XIV blesses the pilgrims from the Dioceses of Umbria region during an audience in Saint Peter’s Basilica, at the Vatican on September 13, 2025. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP) (Photo by FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images)
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Atif Bawahab, the CEO of Insight, said in a statement that the plaque “honors Pope Leo XIV, and also the enduring spirit of Mercy Hospital and its legacy of healing on Chicago’s South Side. At Insight, we are proud to carry that mission forward.”
Insight assumed ownership of the former Mercy Hospital in 2021. The original facility was founded in 1852 by the Sisters of Mercy and served as a “pillar of care and compassion for generations” on the city’s South Side, according to a hospital news release.
“As a lifelong Southsider, I hold deep respect for the legacy of Mercy Hospital and its enduring connection to the Archdiocese of Chicago,” said Rev. Henry Barlow, a board member at Insight Hospital, in a statement. “It is our privilege to honor both the history of this sacred institution and the remarkable life of Pope Leo XIV, who continues to inspire people of faith around the world.”
The hospital will hold the ceremony on Monday at 1:30 p.m. in its Great Room on the 12th floor.
After the plaque is unveiled, it will be mounted inside the main entrance foyer.