The sports loyalties of Pope Leo XIV became a subject of conversation almost as soon because the white smoke emerged from the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.
Elected on Thursday, Robert Prevost is the primary pope from the United States within the history of the Catholic Church. The Chicago-born missionary, who took the name Leo XIV, attended Villanova University near Philadelphia, where he received a Bachelor of Science in 1977, which triggered Villanova sports fans.
Chicago’s two baseball teams were also front and center as sports fans reacted to the Vatican news.
It was initially reported that the brand new pope was a Cubs fan. The team congratulated Pope Leo XIV in a post on X that had an image of Wrigley Field’s iconic marquee with the message: HEY, CHICAGO. HE’S A CUBS FAN!
But his brother, John Prevost, told WGN-TV that the pope is a White Sox fan.
“He was never ever a Cubs fan, so I don’t know where that got here from. He was all the time a Sox fan,” John insisted, adding that the confusion might stem from the very fact their mother’s side of the family were North Siders and Cubs fans.
The revelation prompted White Sox fans to wonder concerning the pope’s ability to persuade owner Jerry Reinsdorf to sell the last-place team.
Long-suffering Bears fans weighed in, too.
One remarked on X that Chicago developed a pope before the Bears developed a quarterback. Another said the Bears now have a direct line to God.
Still one other said the Bears not will likely be on the improper side of Hail Marys, a reference to Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels’ 52-yard Hail Mary completion to Noah Brown to beat the Bears in October.
The election of the brand new pope coincides with a trio of former Villanova players leading the New York Knicks on an NBA playoff run. It didn’t take long for a photoshopped picture of the 4 of them together to point out up on social media.
The Knicks erased 20-point deficits in winning Games 1 and a couple of against the defending champion Boston Celtics within the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Now fans are praying the mix of the Villanova guys and the brand new pope may also help the team to its first NBA title since 1973.
