The pontiff’s growing collection of South Side memorabilia keeps strengthening an unlikely — and unforgettable — bond with the White Sox.
Pope Leo XIV became the most famous Chicago White Sox fan on earth seemingly overnight. It happened the moment he was elected earlier in 2025, surpassing former President Barack Obama for that distinction.
And it didn’t take long for the White Sox — or their fans — to make his fandom part of their collective identity.
The Sox held mass at Guaranteed Rate Field. Supporters showed up to games wearing papal regalia and Vatican-inspired Sox gear. Some even scoured the internet looking for video evidence of Pope Leo (known also as Robert Francis Prevost) attending Game 2 of the 2005 World Series to support his beloved team.
The organization leaned in, too. A mural of Pope Leo went up inside the ballpark, and meanwhile in Vatican City, crowds began firing off "Let's Go White Sox!" chants during parades. People eagerly snapped photos when he was gifted a Sox hat. Visiting dignitaries have been quick to either cater to — or poke fun at — his fandom.
Pope Leo XIV is quickly assembling one of the most impressive collections of White Sox memorabilia in existence.
He was recently gifted a White Sox jersey autographed by the 2005 World Series champions courtesy of Justin Ishbia, the club’s future owner and current investor.
And the collection just grew again.
En route to Turkey, Pope Leo was presented with a bat that used to belong to Chicago White Sox legend Nellie Fox. CBS News foreign correspondent Chris Livesay gifted him the bat — a cherished family heirloom — during the flight after relatives encouraged him to pass it on to the pontiff.
And don’t think for a second this is the last Sox-related treasure Pope Leo will receive.
The global visibility of moments like these has created a rare kind of crossover fame, where baseball culture and religious tradition collide in a way no team could ever script. For a franchise rebuilding its reputation, moments like these become organic marketing — the kind you can’t buy, manufacture, or force into existence.
He may even take Ishbia up on the offer to throw out a first pitch when the White Sox open a new stadium in the coming years.
What’s clear is that the relationship between the team, the fans, and Pope Leo XIV is only just beginning — and it couldn’t be better publicity for a franchise that desperately needed a boost in public perception after years of on-field frustration.