The latest pope isn’t just from America, he’s from Chicago – a proven fact that social media users are eating up prefer it’s deep-dish pizza.
Robert Prevost became the 267th pope on Thursday. Pope Leo XIV, as he will likely be known, was born in Chicago, making him the primary American to ever be elected by the conclave within the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history.
Outside the Sistine Chapel, cheers erupted within the packed Vatican City, where many awaited the person who could be named to exchange Pope Francis.
Online, social media users flooded the web with memes and jokes in regards to the city Pope Leo hails from, including its signature deep dish pizza, its beloved but often disappointing sports teams, and all things Chicago.
Everyone appears to be greater than completely happy to lean into his Chicago roots.
Even former President Barack Obama congratulated the brand new pope as a “fellow Chicagoan.” He wrote: “This is a historic day for the United States, and we are going to pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for therefore many, no matter faith.”
If there’s one thing that ties Italy and Chicago together, it’s pizza.
“Finally Rome can have good pizza,” one X user remarked.
“Deep Dish beat Pizzaballa,” one other quipped, referring to Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who was considered a contender to steer the Catholic Church.
Comedian Jon Lovett joked about one other Chicago staple: “Ironically, picking a pope from Chicago probably created a good amount of Italian beef.”
Another poster alluded to Chicago-style hot dogs — famously jam-packed with yellow mustard, relish, white onion, tomato slices, a dill pickle spear, pickled sport peppers and celery salt and no ketchup. The user was hoping to ask Pope Leo: “Is ketchup on a hot dog an actual sin?”
Chicago can also be known for its die-hard sports fans, in addition to its intra-city rivalry between its baseball teams, the Cubs and the White Sox. Despite being from the south side, which is commonly related to the Sox, Pope Leo XIV confirmed he’s a Cubs fan (though his brother still insists he backs the Sox).
Noting that the baseball team has only won 3 times in its 150-year history, one user joked: “The first American Pope in history is a Cubs fan! He will definitely have empathy for the suffering.”
Another posted a photograph of the brand new pope dressed like Chicago Bears legend Mike Ditka, with Ray Bans, a gray mustache and a “Bears” logo across a navy robe. “Sundays on the Vatican are about to be lit,” the caption reads.
Yet one other joked: “The father, the son and da Bears, amiright?”
Alongside a photograph of a Nineties Saturday Night Live clip featuring 4 men wearing head-to-toe gear discussing “da Bears” in exaggerated Midwestern accents, one user simply put: “DA POPE.”
Others even posted a clip of the pope’s first appearance set to the The Bulls’ theme song: “Sirius” by The Alan Parsons Project.
The white smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel Thursday, signaling the brand new pope had been elected, every week after President Donald Trump said he’d “wish to be Pope. That could be my primary selection.” Days later, the president posted an AI-generated image of himself wearing white papal vestments and headdress — a move that sparked criticism but what Trump passed off as a mere “joke.”
On Thursday, The Onion, a satirical Chicago-based paper, splashed a photograph of the American pope alongside a fake quote on its homepage. It read: “Pope Leo XIV: ‘There Couldn’t Be A Better Time To Get The F*** Out Of America Forever.’”
