VATICAN CITY (WGN) — If there was any doubt left, Pope Leo has once again reassured the Sox faithful that his fandom is deeply rooted.
John Kilkus, a native Chicagoan, visited Rome on Wednesday and came into close contact with Pope Leo and his popemobile. When the first American pope was within shouting distance, Kilkus yelled, “God bless the White Sox.”
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Pope Leo XIV honored by White Sox at seat from 2005 World Series game
Pope Leo immediately took notice, greeting Kilkus with a thumbs up and a smile.
Photo courtesy of John Kilkus
Photo courtesy of John Kilkus
Photo courtesy of John Kilkus
Photo courtesy of John Kilkus
Pope Leo is a self-proclaimed Sox fan after all, despite some early rumblings early in his papacy that he was a fan of their crosstown rivals, the Chicago Cubs.
“He was never, ever a Cubs fan, so I don’t know where that came from. He was always a Sox fan. Our mother was a Cubs fan,” his brother, John, told WGN-TV in May of 2025.
Pope Leo has previously shown his allegiance to the Southsiders by sporting a Sox hat at the Vatican. He even has an “open invite” to throw out a first pitch to a game, according to executive vice president, chief revenue and market officer, Brook Boyers, as reported by MLB.com.
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Before becoming a global name, Pope Leo, then known as Robert Francis Prevost, the fan, attended Game 1 of the 2005 World Series. The Sox went on to clinch a championship, their first in 88 years, by sweeping the Houston Astros.
The Chicago White Sox open their 2026 season on the road against cross-state rival, the Milwaukee Brewers, at American Family Field, on Thursday. The team hosts the Toronto Blue Jays for its home opener on Thursday, April 2, one week later.
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