Breaking Pope Leo sends White Sox fans into meltdown as Chicago native dons team cap to greet Vatican visitors EnglishHeadline

He is the bishop of Rome, supreme pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church and an apostolic successor to Saint Peter now main the religion’s 1.4 billion followers.

However the man now recognized to the world as Pope Leo XIV was as soon as a child on Chicago’s South Aspect, the place he grew up rooting for the White Sox. And for all the things that has modified for the reason that demise of Pope Francis in April, the newly anointed Pope Leo remains to be very a lot Bob from Bronzeville — a diehard fan of a struggling workforce that is managed solely three World Sequence titles in 121 years.

On Wednesday, Pope Leo gave the world a peak at Bob by donning a White Sox hat as he greeted Vatican guests, together with a pair of newlyweds. 

It is unclear if the person and girl had been from Chicago or how the hat materialized, however the struggling White Sox had been all too blissful to put up among the photographs on-line anyway.

‘.@Pontifex representing his favourite squad,’ learn the White Sox put up.

Followers from the Midwestern metropolis stay surprised to see a White Sox fan within the Vatican. 

Pope Leo XIV wears a Chicago White Sox cap, on the day of his common viewers in St. Peter’s

Pope Leo XIV wears a Chicago White Sox cap as he poses for an image with a bride and groom

Pope Leo XIV grew up on Chicago’s South Aspect, the place he was a diehard White Sox fan 

‘Even 3 months in the past, you could possibly’ve given me 1,000,000 to 1 odds and I by no means would’ve taken a guess that THE POPE WEARING A WHITE SOX HAT would occur,’ one wrote on X. 

‘As a Chicago space native I might by no means have imagined a Chicago Pope,’ one other added. 

One fan remained so skeptical of the Pope’s White Sox allegiance they requested X’s AI instrument: ‘@grok is that this actual?’ 

Grok then confirmed the authenticity of the images.  

Regardless of their favored standing on the Vatican, the White Sox are within the midst of one other disappointing season. Not solely are they 20.5 video games out of first within the American League Central at 23-44 getting into Wednesday, however the workforce’s main hitter is Miguel Vargas at simply .233. Luis Robert Jr., the workforce’s star centerfielder and most recognizable participant, is batting simply .184.

Pope Leo’s fandom has been a uncommon vibrant spot for the South Siders, who just lately unveiled a tribute to the person born Robert Francis Prevost in 1955 because the White Sox had been on their option to a third-place end.

Now, in part 140, Row 19, and Seat 2 at Fee Subject on Chicago’s South Aspect, followers can discover a graphic set up marking Pope Leo’s seat for Recreation 1 of the 2005 World Sequence. Chicago would go on to win its first MLB crown since 1917 that yr.

Footage from the sport — Chicago’s 5-3 win over the visiting NL-champion Houston Astros — reveals a youthful Pope Leo within the crowd throughout his time as prior for the Order of Saint Augustine.

A Pope Leo XIV t-shirt is seen outdoors on the market previous to a White Sox sport on June 6 

Footage has emerged of Pope Leo watching Chicago win Recreation 1 of the 2005 World Sequence

Chicago White Sox followers dressed like Pope Leo XIV within the bleachers throughout a sport between the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox at Wrigley Subject on Might 16

There had been some misguided reporting after he was named Pope that he was really a Cubs fan, however his brother John Prevost has since put that delusion to relaxation.

‘He was by no means ever a Cubs fan, so I do not know the place that got here from,’ Prevost informed Chicago’s WGN TV. ‘He was all the time a Sox fan. Our mom was a Cubs fan. I do not know, possibly that clued in there and our dad was a Cardinals fan, so I do not know the place all that got here from.

‘And all of the aunts, our mother’s household was from the north aspect, in order that’s why they had been Cubs followers.’

The membership is within the technique of being bought to Justin Ishbia, the brother of Phoenix Suns proprietor Mat Ishbia.

The workforce introduced the deal final week. Ishbia will make capital infusions to the workforce as a restricted associate in 2025 and 2026 with the intention to pay down current membership debt and assist ongoing workforce operations.

Below the settlement, White Sox proprietor Jerry Reinsdorf has the choice to promote controlling curiosity to Ishbia from 2029 to 2033, after which Ishbia can acquire a majority stake.