The first American pope was elected last week, with Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost ascending to the title of Pope Leo XIV after a vote in Vatican City.
The sports world quickly came to appreciate that Pope Leo XIV was not just from America—he was from Chicago.
While there’s a good chance a man known as the “Vicar of Christ” does not hold hate in his heart for any sports team, there was nonetheless a rush to discover just which teams Pope Leo XIV supported. Turns out, he’s a White Sox fan.
On Friday, with the Chicago Cubs hosting the Chicago White Sox in a crosstown rivalry game, White Sox fans decided to head into enemy territory dressed up as the team’s most famous fan.
Chicago isn’t the only part of the baseball world having a bit of fun with the new pope—the Texas Rangers' Jake Burger, a Catholic, has started using the sign of the cross as his celebration after hitting a double.
While a White Sox turnaround would really be something, Chicago’s true test of faith will come when the Bears kick off their season in September.