The internet exploded with humor and Chicago pride on Thursday following the historic announcement that Robert Francis Prevost, a 69-year-old American clergyman from Chicago, has been named the new pope.
Now known as Pope Leo XIV, Prevost has become the first clergyman from the United States to lead the Roman Catholic church, ending the Vatican’s longstanding opposition to the idea of a US pontiff.
Reactions quickly flooded social media platforms like X and Bluesky, with Chicagoans and Americans across the country chiming in, and sharing jokes.
The Chicago mayor, Brandon Johnson, celebrated the moment on social media, posting: “Everything dope, including the Pope, comes from Chicago! Congratulations to the first American Pope Leo XIV! We hope to welcome you back home soon.”
Other users asked for “photos of the new pope at the Bean” Chicago’s famous sculpture, while MSNBC’s Chris Hayes wondered whether the pope was a Chicago Cubs fan, as others asked if he was a White Sox fan.
One X user joked: “In honor of Chicago’s own Pope Leo XIV, the White Sox announce the new ‘White Smoke Shake’ that will be served in a commemorative pope hat.” Another poked fun at the Chicago Bears American Football team, writing: “Chicago produced a pope before a QB who throws for 4,000 yards.”
In honor of Chicago’s own Pope Leo XIV, the White Sox announce the new “White Smoke Shake” that will be served in a commemorative pope hat pic.twitter.com/JnMVxtQ7pD
— Emily Nyman (@EmSheDoesIt) May 8, 2025
Others referenced Chicago’s famous deep dish pizza, joking about the pope serving deep dish pizza and to ask whether the new pope thinks that Chicago or Rome have better pizza.
“From now on, all communion wafers shall be deep dish,” one commenter wrote. Another added: “Deep dish eucharist” and another user joked that “finally Rome will have good pizza”.
New Pope serving the body of Christ at mass pic.twitter.com/retLuaWp0o
— Asscela Express 🚅 (@biz_socks) May 8, 2025
A nod to the city’s notorious liqueur appeared, too, with some people asking whether the pope had consumed Malört, a liqueur once reserved for Chicago dive bars.
“Cannot wait for holy water & wine to be replaced by Malort & Old Style,” one user wrote.
There were also references to The Bear, the Emmy-winning Chicago-based drama, and to Second City, the city’s pioneering and legendary comedy club, with one user stating that “second City now only second to Vatican City”.
Someone also joked that Pope Leo XIV “has probably eaten more hot dogs than all 266 previous popes combined”.
A social media account associated with the New York Knicks also celebrated that the new pope was a graduate of Villanova University, writing: “What a week for Villanova graduates”with a photo of the Pope alongside images of the Knicks players Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges, who are also Villanova alums. The New York basketball team won the first two games against the Boston Celtics in the playoffs.
What a week for Villanova graduates pic.twitter.com/UHZesaME96
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 8, 2025
Corporate accounts also joined in. Popeyes, the fried chicken chain, posted “pope yes”, while Netflix shared a still from Emily in Paris, captioned: “I’m from Chicago, but I moved here for a job.”
