Pope Leo XIV Surprised with Chicago Pizza in Vatican

This week, Pope Leo XIV made an appearance in Vatican City, greeted by his devoted followers and a rather unexpected gift: pizza boxes from his hometown in Illinois.

But the journey of how this pizza reached him is, perhaps, the most intriguing part.

As the Pope arrived at St. Peter’s Square in the Popemobile for his weekly audience, a box of Aurelio’s pizza was presented to him. A video captured the moment, showing the Popemobile halting in front of a sign proclaiming, “We have Aurelio’s Pizza.”

There was another sign that said, “Pope Leo, I brought you from Chicago.” One of the Pope’s bodyguards then took the pizza box and handed it over to him.

With a smile, the Pope gave a thumbs-up to Madeline Daly, a resident of Cincinnati who attempted the delivery.

So, how did a slice of deep-dish pizza travel all the way from Illinois to Italy? The adventure began in Ohio.

It was there that Jaden Remias, a 24-year-old Catholic content creator from Columbus, first came up with the idea. He described it as “an act of love” and expressed how his content aims to inspire and elevate. “I know what the world wants,” he said, detailing a brainstorming process that led to the pizza delivery.

It wasn’t just any pizza, either. They needed to source it from the flagship Aurelio’s in Homewood, a Chicago suburb, home to the aptly named “Popeloni Pizza.”

Aurelio’s is reportedly Pope Leo’s favorite after a photo surfaced showing Robert F. Pribble with friends at the restaurant, surrounded by cards.

Remias organized a trip with a childhood friend but faced a hurdle when their van battery died halfway on the journey from Columbus to Chicago.

Not to be deterred, they finally reached Aurelio’s, where Remias announced their intent to deliver a pizza to the Pope.

Originally, he had plans to fly to Rome, but personal circumstances led him to call on Daly for help. She, a social media coordinator for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, seemed to immediately latch on to this unexpected mission.

“The goal was to freeze it as much as possible,” she explained. Gathering dry ice, she ensured the pizza was safely packed in a cooler and ready for TSA security checks.

As plans unfolded, Daly recalled a comical yet tense moment when the pizza was lost in the trash. She recounted her mother’s frantic call to the landlord, asking for guidance on locating it, and even digging through the garbage to retrieve the precious cargo.

On the day of the delivery, Daly wrote a note inside the box for the Pope: “It’s perfectly fine to eat this pizza, but I’m not going to eat it myself.”

When the time came for the Pope’s audience, Daly was in a prime position, excitedly waiting with the pizza. As he rounded the corner, her heart raced as he spotted their sign, showcasing the pizza brand. She could barely contain herself as his expression lit up.

Joe Aurelio, the owner of Aurelio’s, expressed joy at seeing the Pope accept their pizza. “He remembers where he came from,” he said, feeling it was a blessing for both the restaurant and the Pope.

In the end, both Remias and Daly were grateful for the chance to make this delivery happen, emphasizing that trusting in God can achieve the seemingly impossible.