Pope Leo XIV, a well-known White Sox’s fan and leader of the Catholic Church, may also have an affinity for a popular sports franchise in the City of Brotherly Love as he smiled as he accepted a Philadelphia Eagles hat from Philly’s Archbishop Nelson Jesus Pérez and Bishop John McIntyre at the Vatican on the morning of Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
In a video posted on social media, Pope Leo can be seen shaking hands with the Archbishop at their weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square before being gifted a ‘Birds’ Super Bowl LIX victory cap.
His Excellency Nelson Jesus Pérez, Metropolitan Archbishop of Philadelphia gives His Holiness Pope Leo XIV a hat of the Super Bowl Champions Philadelphia Eagles. pic.twitter.com/1hzvmdkLRd
— Catholic Sat (@CatholicSat) July 30, 2025
“I was blessed with the opportunity to greet him and present him with the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl cap” Archbishop Nelson Perez wrote in a Facebook post. “This was a profoundly joyful encounter with the Holy Father along with thousands of Pilgrims from all over the world.”
Pope Leo XIV became the Pope on May 8, 2025, after he was elected in the 205 papal conclave.
A Chicago native, Pope Leo is the first American pope in history and he graduated from Villanova University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics.