Bob and Chito — The Cardinal Friendship Behind Pope Leo's Election

As the conclave neared electing him, Leo began to panic. Cardinal Tagle quietly offered him candy to help him calm down.

A cartoon of Cardinal Tagle giving Cardinal Prevost candy to calm his down as he was about be elected pope.

Dear friends,

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Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing a series of deeply reported essays offering the most complete portrait yet of Pope Leo’s life and formation.

Why? Because if Leo XIV is to be the world’s most credible moral leader during this defining moment in American and global history, then we deserve to understand the nearly 70 years Bob Prevost lived before becoming the 267th leader of the Catholic Church.

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In the dynamic landscape of the modern Catholic Church, Cardinal Luis Antonio “Chito” Tagle stands as Pope Leo’s most trusted collaborator, their partnership a beacon of hope for a global faithful navigating turbulent times.

Their bond, rooted in shared commitment to evangelization and social justice, has not only shaped Vatican policy but also sparked a viral “Chito & Bob” social media phenomenon, captivating millions.

This alliance, blending pastoral zeal with digital savvy, underscores a transformative moment for Catholicism under Pope Leo’s leadership.

The relationship between Tagle and Pope Leo, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, began in Manila, where Prevost, as Prior General of the Order of St. Augustine, admired Tagle’s grassroots ministry.

A grainy undated photo of then seminarian Luis Antonio Tagle, likely taken ~1980.