The house of John Prevost, a retired school principal and the brother of Pope Leo, was subject to a bomb threat on Wednesday, April 15.

Officers were called to his address in New Lenox, Illinois, at 6.30pm after reports were received that a bomb might be within the house, with neighbours notified and evacuated.

After the property was searched, officers determined that the threat was unsubstantiated and that the reports had been a hoax.

“The incident remains under investigation as authorities work to determine the origin of the report. Making false reports of this nature is a serious offence and may result in criminal charges,” police said.

John Joseph Prevost, born in 1953, is the elder brother of Pope Leo. Leo has another brother, Louis, who is older than John and has reached national headlines for being a vocal supporter of Donald Trump.

John Prevost, like his father, who was a superintendent and catechist, spent his life in education. Having worked at Catholic schools for 35 years, he also served as a school principal.

He remained close to his brother, Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo, as he travelled around the world as an Augustinian missionary. Pope Leo kept a key to his brother’s house, which he gave back to him when they met after his election. John recounted that he felt at the time that the exchange had symbolic meaning, commenting to the National Catholic Register that it felt like “he is not ours anymore”.

John, a practising Catholic himself, has encouraged others to care for the spiritual needs of the Holy Father, telling the National Catholic Register that “he appreciates the prayers. He’s praying for the people. He appreciates people praying for him.”