By Todd Feurer, Marissa Sulek
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CHICAGO (WBBM) — The internet wasted no time pumping out the jokes and memes after Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected as the new leader of the Catholic Church on Thursday, taking the papal name Pope Leo XIV.
The attention the new pope is getting is a radical change from just a matter of days ago, when old friends were still calling him up to schedule dinner.
Fr. Anthony Pizzo attended seminary with Pope Leo XIV in the 70s. They both went on to come to Chicago to study and train together at Chicago’s Catholic Theological Union in Hyde Park.
He might be known as Pope Leo XIV now, but in Pizzo’s phone, he’s “Bob,” or “Bob Prevost.”
“It never crossed my mind, and I don’t think it crossed his mind either,” said Pizzo of his old pal Bob becoming pope.
Father Pizzo was seminary classmates with Leo XIV at Villanova University 50 years ago. The two Chicagoans were hoping to get together this weekend.
“I told him, I says, ‘Hey, let’s go out to dinner, my treat,'” Pizzo said.
But Pizzo said what unfolded at the Vatican Thursday was the ultimate excuse.
“So I don’t think dinner is going to happen this weekend,” Pizzo said.
Instead, Leo XIV — or Bob, to Pizzo — has become an international celebrity who Windy City locals are proud to claim as theirs. The pope and Pizzo are close friends, but Chicagoans are starting to think Pope Leo XIV is their friend too.
Google search traffic for “Da Pope” has skyrocketed since the announcement.
“Da Pope” shirts are already in the works, with Wrigleyville-based Obvious Shirts sharing an image of a Bears-themed design reminiscent of former Bears coach Mike Ditka’s iconic blue and orange sweater.
Chicago sports podcaster Ross Read shared an image of Leo XIV with the caption, “God bless everyone in the world, except Green Bay.”
Barstool Sports podcast Pardon My Take shared a picture of the new pope donning a Chicago Bulls jersey with Michael Jordan’s No. 23, flying in for a dunk from the free throw line at the United Center.
Sticking to the Bulls theme, social media users couldn’t help but create videos of the pope’s official entrance to the sound of “Sirius,” by The Alan Parsons Project, the music the Bulls have played for team introductions since Michael Jordan’s rookie year.
Author David Simon noted an interesting parallel between Leo XIV and the iconic 1980 film “The Blues Brothers.”
“The last fellas who came from Chicago, were given a rigorous education in Catholicism and then claimed to be on a mission from God? They destroyed a suburban shopping mall, wrecked about 300 police cars and ended up in Joliet penitentiary. Just saying,” he wrote.
Many took to social media to suggest a looming change to Catholic communion, such as replacing communion wafers and wine with hot dogs and Malört, the wormwood-based spirit said to taste like gasoline, burnt rubber, and grapefruit.
One user on X even suggested Jeppson’s Malört should come up with Malört-flavored communion wafers.
Some even suggested the new pope would soon be serving up deep-dish Chicago pizza as the new communion wafer.
Times of Northwest Indiana reporter Joseph Pete shared an image of a Chicago tavern-style pizza with the caption “Chicago pope to teach Italians how to slice pizza the proper way.”
Plenty of social media denizens couldn’t help but joke about a Chicagoan being elected pope before the Bears had a quarterback who threw for 4,000 yards in a season.
Chicago-based fast food chain Portillos jokingly tweeted, “more like Popetillos, amirite?” after asking, “How quickly can we ship Italian beef to Vatican City?”
But beyond the witty nonsense, Father Pizzo said the pope is a loyal friend who showed up to his personal special occasions.
“When I made my vows, I believe he was there for my ordination, the death of my parents,” Pizzo said.
And while Pizzo hopes he and Leo XIV will see each other soon, he knows the pope’s calendar is already filling up.
“He’s got a busy schedule, and I’m not all that important right now,” Pizzo said. “Maybe some time in the future, I might run across him.”
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“Da Pope”: Chicago ready with the jokes after native son Cardinal Prevost elected as Pope Leo XIV News Channel 3-12.
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