Chicago Welcomes Its Own Pope

Chicago native Cardinal Robert Prebust was named the new American Pope on Thursday, and the reactions from the Windy City are, well, quite lively.

“From now on, all communion wafers will be deep dish,” joked one user on X, as Chicago sports fans quickly jumped into the conversation.

“We need to know if he’ll be the Cubs Pope or the White Sox Pope,” another user mused, while someone else added a comment about a new dish linked to the White Sox: “In honor of Chicago’s own Pope Leo XIV, they’re introducing the ‘White Smoke Shake’ served in a commemorative pop hat.”

Prebust was selected to succeed Pope Francis after two days of discussions at the Vatican, drawing immediate attention to his Chicago roots. He has chosen the papal name Pope Leo XIV.

Comments online ranged from playful remarks about the Chicago Bears football team—”Chicago produced the Pope before a QB threw 4,000 yards”—to references about local drinks like Schnapps from his hometown in Sweden, Marot.

One amusing post raised the question: “With his upbringing in Chicago, is he the first pope in Roman Catholic history to have consumed Marot?”

Not all comments were light-hearted; some brought up the city’s reputation for organized crime and political corruption. “Congrats to Prevost Cardinal,” quipped one user. “Starting a prison term, there’s a high chance he’ll be the first elected official from Illinois.”