RALEIGH, N.C. (WECT) – North Carolina’s top labor official traveled to Vatican City to present Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, with the state’s highest labor honor.
Commissioner of Labor Luke Farley awarded Pope Leo XIV the Order of the Tar Heel during the visit. Farley also presented the pope with a custom Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup championship jersey, roughly one week after the team’s title win.
“It was an honor to meet with Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City, where I had the privilege of presenting him with the Order of the Tar Heel as a symbol of North Carolina’s gratitude for his lifelong example of service, faith, and leadership,” Farley said.
The Order of the Tar Heel is the highest honor awarded by the N.C. Commissioner of Labor. Farley cited Pope Leo XIV’s standing as the first American pope and his advocacy on worker protections, including his position that artificial intelligence should empower rather than replace workers, as factors in the honor.
“North Carolina is proud to celebrate the Carolina Hurricanes for bringing the Stanley Cup home, and it was a special honor to present Pope Leo with a Hurricanes championship jersey commemorating this historic achievement,” Farley said.
Brian Fork, CEO of Hurricanes Holdings, LLC, said the organization was glad Farley could share a piece of North Carolina with the pope.
“We were proud to bring the Stanley Cup home to Raleigh and are thrilled that Commissioner Farley had a chance to share a piece of North Carolina with Pope Leo by presenting him with a personalized Hurricanes jersey just a week after winning the Cup,” Fork said.
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