Pope Leo XIV's sports fandom coming to light with White Sox World Series appearance, Villanova-Knicks ties

As the archetypal -ever Pope to hail from the U.S., Robert Prevost's American sports ties rapidly became a constituent of planetary speech aft helium was appointed Pope Leo XIV. 

As a Chicago native, Prevost's White Sox fandom came to airy this week, and it turns retired he's not conscionable a casual instrumentality either. Footage of Prevost attending Game 1 of the 2005 World Series surfaced connected societal media Friday. 

By axenic chance, Prevost was shown connected the MLB connected FOX broadcast for that crippled astatine U.S. Cellular Field connected Oct. 22, 2005, and the cameras caught him during the apical of the ninth inning arsenic the White Sox were clinching a 5-3 triumph implicit the Houston Astros.  

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The White Sox went connected to triumph the bid successful a four-game sweep, for their lone title since 1917. 

Prevost was archetypal revealed arsenic a White Sox instrumentality erstwhile his brother, John Prevost, mentioned it successful an interrogation with WGN-TV. 

"He was ever a Sox fan," John said.

But the Pope's rooting involvement seemingly mightiness not extremity with baseball. 

Reverand Robert P. Hagan, a person of Prevost's and a chaplain astatine the Pope's alma mater, Villanova University, told The Athletic astir Prevost's nexus to the New York Knicks and their prima lineup of erstwhile Villanova players. 

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Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States appears connected the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, astatine the Vatican, May 8, 2025. (Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters)

"We’ve had a batch of amusive watching the Knicks, due to the fact that Jalen (Brunson) and Josh (Hart) and Donte (DiVincenzo) was there, and present Mikal (Bridges) is there," Hagan said. "I deliberation that Pope Leo volition inactive support an oculus connected the Nova Knicks. I deliberation he’ll inactive support an oculus connected the Wildcats, and I deliberation he’ll beryllium precise arrogant of not conscionable who they are but the mode that they play with a definite tone and unselfishness."

Leo XIV was archetypal brought to the Vatican by Pope Francis to service arsenic prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops in January 2023, which is 1 of the astir important positions successful the Catholic Church, arsenic it vets bishop nominations issued globally.

Francis past elevated him to the presumption of Cardinal successful September 2023. 

Leo was reported to beryllium intimately aligned to Francis' teachings arsenic person of the Catholic Church, peculiarly erstwhile it came to his positions regarding the environment, outreach to the mediocre and migrants, and opening the Catholic Church to clasp much followers.

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Newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert F. Prevost of the U.S., appears connected the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica astatine the Vatican, May 8, 2025. (Dylan Martinez/Reuters)

In 2015, Leo obtained Peruvian citizenship. He remained successful Peru until helium was moved to the Vatican successful 2023. 

During his last years successful Peru, Leo besides served arsenic vice president of the imperishable assembly of the Peruvian Bishops’ Conference from 2018 to 2023, which apt helped him unafraid his relation arsenic prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops nether Francis.

Fox News' Caitlin McFall and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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