Pope Leo XIV already made history as the first ever American pope to grace Vatican City, with it taking the College of Cardinals just one day to agree that the Chicago-born 69-year-old would be taking on the role of the 267th pontiff.
And now, Pope Leo has caught the attention of the masses for another surprising reason - and it’s nothing to do with religion.
The Pope made sure to demonstrate his American roots during the general audience at St Peter’s Square in the Vatican on May 28 by showing off his catching skills.
As the head of the Catholic church was parading around in his iconic popemobile, someone in the crowd decided to throw over a crochet doll.
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The religious figure made baseball fans proud as he reached out and caught it effortlessly with just one hand, in a move that would give his beloved Chicago White Sox a run for their money.
He left social media users in shock after a clip of the unexpected act quickly went viral, racking up millions of views.
And it looks like everyone is thinking the same thing.
One user wrote on X: “Baseball level catch. You can tell by the form,” while another added: “Put him in, coach!”
Meanwhile, someone else guessed: “lol seems like he played baseball in his last life.”
“Get that man a contract!” insisted another fan, while someone else quipped: “Pope Leo has mastered the one-handed catch. Baseball fans everywhere rejoice.”
Another even made the bold claim that he’s better than the team he supports, writing: “I mean he is a White Sox fan, and he's surprisingly better than that whole roster.”
Although it’s unlikely he’ll be making an appearance on the field any time soon, Pope Leo has made it no secret that he's a fan of the Chicago team.
He’s known to be an avid sports fan, including a lifelong supporter of the club, which other fans were thrilled to find out. And it seems the love is mutual as a new mural of the Pope has been erected inside the team’s stadium.
According to The Independent, the White Sox also sent a jersey and a hat to the Vatican after the announcement of Pope Leo’s election.
Pope Leo, born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was announced as Pope Francis’ successor on May 8.
He shares many of the same sentiments as his predecessor in that he's passionate about helping migrants and the poor.
Having become ordained at just 27, Pope Leo hasn't spent too much time in his home country in the years since, and at one point served as a missionary in Peru.
He only became a cardinal in 2023, and has stayed relatively out of the spotlight, at one point even telling the Vatican’s official news website: “The bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom.”
Topics: US News, Social Media, Pope Leo
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Madison Burgess