Pope Leo XIV Gifted Cubs Jersey by Mar Awa III During Vatican Meeting

Pope Leo XIV, a native of Chicago and a dedicated Chicago White Sox fan, was playfully gifted a customized Chicago Cubs jersey by Mar Awa III, the Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, who is also from Chicago but supports the Cubs. This exchange took place during Mar Awa III's visit to the Vatican, where the two met to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate and discuss closer communion between their churches. The gift was a lighthearted nod to the longstanding sports rivalry between the Cubs and White Sox, reflecting the pope's earlier humorous response to fans chanting "Go Cubs!" at him, to which he replied, "Han perdido! They lost!" Despite the playful sports banter, the meeting underscored serious religious dialogue about unity and synodality between the two Christian traditions. Mar Awa III shared the moment on social media, highlighting the irony and humor in gifting the jersey to the pope. This event highlights how personal and cultural identities, including sports loyalties, intersect even in high-level religious diplomacy.