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Pope Leo XIV joins in Chicago White Sox chant in Vatican City

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby: Grant Grubbs06/19/25grant_grubbs_
Pope
Matt Marton-Imagn Images

As the first pope born in the United States, Pope Leo XIV isn’t afraid to embrace his American roots. During the General Audience address on Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV joined in with some fans chanting “White Sox,” in honor of the Pontiff’s hometown team.

The people in attendance leading the chant went wild when the Pope joined in, and who can blame them? It’s not everyday the leader of the Catholic world is rooting for the South Siders.

Of course, this isn’t the first time that the Pope has openly cheered on the Sox. Last week, Leo XIV donned a White Sox cap at a general assembly. Leo XIV’s White Sox fandom went viral after the Chicago Cubs initially attempted to claim him, and the Pope’s brother clarified that Leo is actually a Sox fan.

The White Sox have embraced their most famous fan. In May, the organization unveiled a mural dedicated to the Pope outside of Rate Field.

“He has an open invite to throw out a first pitch,” said Brooks Boyer, the White Sox executive vice president, chief revenue and marketing officer. “Heck, maybe we’ll let him get an at-bat.”

“For us to acknowledge the section by having the Pope be part of our history, for us to be able to put something as quickly as we have been able to do, to put this on the ballpark is something very special for us. It only adds to our 125 years of history at the park.”

One particularly eagle-eyed fan posted footage of Pope Leo XIV at a White Sox game in the 2005 World Series. Boyer couldn’t believe it when the footage surfaced online.

“I just never thought I would see in my lifetime a North American Pope, let alone a White Sox fan from the South Side of Chicago that is among us. He’s real,” Boyer said. “If you got a glimpse of him, it was magical.

“These people know him on a personal basis. It’s pretty amazing. You thought when the sitting President was a White Sox fan, President [Barack] Obama, it probably can’t get much higher than that. These guys brought us the Pope.”

On June 14, the Archdiocese of Chicago hosted a celebration of Pope Leo XIV and his White Sox fandom inside Rate Field. While the Pope himself wasn’t in attendance, the event included appearances from Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago and main celebrant for the event’s Mass; and Chuck Swirsky, the play-by-play voice of the Chicago Bulls and a reader at Holy Name Cathedral.