Pope Leo XIV brings hope to Chicago sports fans, and the Knicks for their Villanova ties

Eric Olson · The Associated Press

· Posted: May 08, 2025 10:49 PM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

The sports loyalties of Pope Leo XIV became a taxable of speech astir arsenic soon arsenic the achromatic fume emerged from the Vatican's Sistine Chapel.

Elected connected Thursday, Robert Prevost is the archetypal pope from the United States successful the past of the Catholic Church. The Chicago-born missionary, who took the sanction Leo XIV, besides attended Villanova University adjacent Philadelphia, wherever helium received a Bachelor of Science successful 1977.

Chicago's 2 shot teams were beforehand and halfway arsenic sports fans reacted to the news.

It was initially reported that the caller pope was a Cubs fan. The squad congratulated Pope Leo XIV successful a station connected X that had a representation of Wrigley Field's iconic marquee with the message: HEY, CHICAGO. HE'S A CUBS FAN!

But his brother, John Prevost, acceptable the grounds consecutive successful an interrogation with WGN-TV. The pope is simply a White Sox fan.

The White Sox posted a clip from the brother's WGN interrogation connected X, on with a representation of the Rate Field videoboard with the message: HEY CHICAGO, HE'S A SOX FAN! The station work "Well, would you look astatine that... Congratulations to Chicago's ain Pope Leo XIV."

"Family ever knows best, and it sounds similar Pope Leo XIV's lifelong fandom falls a small person to 35th and Shields," the White Sox said successful a media statement. "Some things are bigger than baseball, and successful this case, we're gladsome to person a White Sox instrumentality represented astatine the Vatican. A pinstripes White Sox jersey with his sanction connected it and a chapeau already are connected the mode to Rome, and of course, the Pontiff ever is invited astatine his ballpark."

The TV interrogation had White Sox fans wondering astir the pope's quality to person proprietor Jerry Reinsdorf to merchantability the last-place team.

Bears present have direct enactment to God

Long-suffering Bears fans weighed in, too.

One remarked connected X that Chicago developed a pope earlier the Bears developed a quarterback. Another said the Bears present person a nonstop enactment to God. And different said the Bears nary longer volition beryllium connected the incorrect broadside of Hail Marys, a notation to Washington Commanders backmost Jayden Daniels' 52-yard Hail Mary completion to Noah Brown to bushed the Bears successful October.

The predetermination of the caller pope coincides with a trio of erstwhile Villanova players starring the New York Knicks connected an NBA playoff run.

It didn't instrumentality agelong for a photoshopped representation of the 4 of them unneurotic to amusement up connected societal media.

The Knicks erased 20-point deficits successful winning Games 1 and 2 against the defending champion Boston Celtics successful the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Now fans are praying the operation of the Villanova guys and the caller pope tin assistance the squad to its archetypal NBA rubric since 1973.