The Vatican said habemus papam, and the internet said hold my beer.
History was made as the first-ever American pope—Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost—was elected to be the new leader of the Catholic Church.
As the Chicago native ascended to the papacy, the internet did what it does best: turn the historical moment into a meme.
#1 Where there is smoke, there will be a Snoop Dogg
In Vatican tradition, white smoke signals the election of a new pontiff.
In meme tradition, if there’s smoke, then Snoop Dogg is meant to be around.
When a new pope is elected, white smoke is released from a chimney by burning the ballots, along with special chemicals, in a specially designed stove within the chapel.
If the color of the smoke is black, it means no pope has been elected.
Image credits: T_Bloyd
#2 Habemus baby!
In order to maintain secrecy with the election process, the tradition of burning ballot papers dates back to at least the 15th century.
When a chimney was installed in the Sistine Chapel in the 18th century, the smoke that billowed out from the burning of ballot papers was not intended to be a public signal. But onlookers eventually began interpreting it as an outcome of the selection process.
With time, the smoke became customary, and it's color became deliberate. Specific chemicals are used to create the black (for “no pope yet”) and white smoke (for we have a pope!).
Now, can pink smoke for a gender reveal be created? Well, chemically it should be possible. But what might the Vatican say? Habemus no thanks!
Image credits: hansmollman
#3 The Vatican City got a taste of the American dream
Chicago fans are already imagining new menu items taking over the Vatican.
Photoshoppers gave the city a makeover, with its own Costco and Waffle House.
Image credits: HeroDividend
#4 The new pope gave off some major Springfield energy to some
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV, will be the 267th occupant of the throne of St Peter.
He was born in Chicago in 1955 to parents of Spanish and Franco-Italian descent. After serving as an altar boy, he was ordained in 1982 and moved to Peru a few years later.
Image credits: PrincessMissDee
#5 The seagulls got front row seats to the papal election
“Habemus Papam”—Latin for “We have a Pope”—is the traditional, sacred declaration made by the senior cardinal deacon following the papal conclave.
The announcement is made from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City to proclaim the election of a new pope.
Image credits: pasmitty_
#6 A hearty dose of deep dish pizza for the first blessing?
Memes ran wild on X with Chicagoans excitedly claiming that the new papacy means all things will be served with a hearty dose of deep dish pizza.
Some joked that the Pope’s first blessing will be delivered with a side of Chicago’s finest!
Image credits: biz_socks
#7 No time like the present to make fun of your rivals
The Wisconsin city of Green Bay, home to the Green Bay Packers, couldn't catch a break amid the flood of memes.
The Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears have one of the most legendary rivalries in American sports history, and Chicagoans often joke about disliking everything Green Bay.
“God bless everyone in the world, except Green Bay,” one said.
Image credits: RossRead
#8 A Chicago-born pope is “just aesthetically wrong”
Some people are struggling to wrap their heads around the Pope being from Chicago.
It’s “just aesthetically wrong,” one said.
Image credits: pourfairelevide
#9 Even the mayor of Chicago couldn't resist getting in on the fun
It wasn't just ordinary, humble social media users that churned out memes and jokes.
Even Brandon Johnson, the mayor of Chicago, didn't miss out on the fun.
“Everything dope, including the Pope, comes from Chicago!” the mayor wrote on X.
“Congratulations to the first American Pope Leo XIV! We hope to welcome you back home soon,” he added.
Image credits: PhilStandard
#10 The Vatican—where global news is delivered via chimney smoke
The Vatican is the only place where global news is delivered via chimney smoke and nobody questions it.
When the cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel to elect a pope, they are locked inside with no phones, no recorders, and no contact with the outside world.
Image credits: CorellaTej7982
#11 Trisha Paytas and Pope Leo XIV now share the same birthday
Two huge events in one day: the Pope’s election and Trisha Paytas celebrating her 37th birthday.
Divine timing or divine intervention? You decide.
Image credits: lidolmix
#12 Who knew seagulls would be the real stars of the Conclave?
Moments before the Sistine Chapel’s chimney began billowing white smoke, a seagull appeared on the roof, prompting the crowd at St. Peter’s Square to squeal with joy.
Some Catholics believed it was an “omen.”
Image credits: TheHappyPriest
#13 Chicago is going down in meme history
May 8 was declared the “best meme day in Chicago,” courtesy of someone from the South Side of the city becoming the Supreme Pontiff.
Cardinal Robert Prevost not only became Pope Leo XIV, but also meme royalty.
Image credits: jaysebben
#14 Seagulls came this close to upstaging the most awaited moment
Bro just became the most famous seagull in the world
— Knicks Memes (@KnicksMemes) May 8, 2025
White smoke. The Conclave has chosen a Pope.
pic.twitter.com/H9W5if8Y6B
#15 Mr. Bean made a bit of a cameo during the Conclave, sort of
Big fan of Cardinal Pizzaballa pulling a Mr Bean during the Conclave pic.twitter.com/9xLfKr8Fum
— Pope Spinoza (@JohnThePapist) May 7, 2025
#16 Rome’s pizza standards just got a divine upgrade
With a Chicago-born Pope in charge, it’s only a matter of time before the Vatican’s food menu includes deep-dish pizza, or at least some netizens thought so.
Image credits: rorycooper
#17 May 8 was an episode of 'Keeping Up With The Cardinals'
It was an episode of 'Keeping Up with the Cardinals' for some netizens, as they sat scrolling on social media for the latest papal updates.
Image credits: popeyaoiXIV
#18 St. Peter’s Square turned into a live-tweeting arena
Meme-makers reported live from St. Peter’s Square.
Netizens turned one of the Vatican’s most solemn moments into a live-tweeting event as the world waited to see the next successor.
Image credits: ClubConcrave
#19 Not many resisted tuning into one of the biggest events of the year
waiting for the white smoke like pic.twitter.com/1GNAc1eIDS
— gab (@kenobitrinity) May 7, 2025
#20 It's was all about the Conclave, no room for anything else
Cozy, caffeinated, and watching history unfold from their bedroom—this was every papal watcher on May 8.
One didn't have to be a cardinal or a Catholic to refresh their feed nonstop.
Image credits: RettDave
#21 Nothing like a new version of the Pope's first speech entirely dedicated to bashing Chicago's NFL rivals
Still can’t believe the Chicago-native Pope said this during his first speech pic.twitter.com/DVY2dHOnmr
— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) May 8, 2025
#22 The pope's loyalties as a sports fan were in serious question
Robert Francis Prevost is a graduate from Villanova—the only Augustinian Catholic university in the US.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Pennsylvania University, and then went on to receive his diploma in theology from the Catholic Theological Union of Chicago.
Villanova is also the alma mater of three Knicks players: Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges.
Image credits: NBAMemes
#23 The Pope is a Villanova University alumnus and people just can't let that go
Villanova has produced many greats, but now it's giving us Pope Leo XIV.
The election of the new pope gave an endless supply of Knicks memes, as players like Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart also went to Villanova.
Image credits: KnicksMemes
#24 It's hard to let it sink in that the Pope is Chicagoan
You can take the cardinal out of Chicago, but you can't take the Chicago out of the cardinal.
While some obsessed over his American roots, others believed his experience outside of the US would make him attuned to global needs.
“He's somebody that, even though he's from the West, would be very attentive to the needs of a global church,” CNN's Vatican analyst Elise Allen said. “You're talking about somebody who spent over half of his ecclesial career abroad as a missionary in Peru.”
Image credits: jameslineky
#25 Pizzaballa was a fan-favorite, sadly it didn't quite work out
Before Pope Leo XIV took the throne of St Peter, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa was a strong favorite among netizens for the role.
The Italian Catholic prelate in Jerusalem spurred several memes online himself over the last few days.
“If Pizzaballa becomes pope, we are officially in the Spaceballs timeline,” one said online.
Image credits: AnalyticsPlant
