Pope Leo XIV breaks from tradition by wearing hometown baseball cap
The pope has been spotted in sportswear — and this time it wasn't created by Artificial Intelligence.
Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native and the first American pope, wore a White Sox baseball cap during a public appearance at the Vatican, making him the first pope to make such a casual pairing with his white cassocks.
Leo, born Robert Provost, was photographed on Wednesday smiling in the cap during his weekly general audience. During the appearance, he met with newly wedded couples — breaking both traditional papal and wedding attire codes.
Leo's love for the sport was noted immediately upon his election on May 8, but the question remained: Cubs or White Sox? His brother, John, quickly spoke to the press to confirm his White Sox allegiance — and footage has even revealed his attendance at the 2005 World Series, which broke the team's 88-year drought when they won the title.
His devotion to the White Sox was just one of many aspects of Pope Leo's life that quickly pieced together an image of a pontiff-next-door.
After he was elected, following two days of secretive deliberation, the memes came swiftly. He was dubbed 'Da Pope' by the Chicago Sun-Times and quickly pictured in edited or AI images posing with Chicago-style hot dogs and bottles of Jeppson's Malört — the city's beloved gasoline-like liquor. Graduates of Villanova University, where he attended undergraduate school, were also eager to claim him, sharing AI images of Leo in full Villanova garb.
It's not the first time a pope has become the fervid subject of memes; his predecessor, Pope Francis I, famously went viral in an AI-generated image of the pontiff outfitted in a Balenciaga-coded white puffer jacket in 2023.
Though Francis' most iconic sartorial moment wasn't real, his tenure saw broader enthusiasm for evidence of a more contemporary and relaxed papal authority. The Argentinian pope departed from archaic and ornate accessories favoured by Pope Benedict XVI — including his bright red leather loafers — opting for humble, simple robes and sensible black shoes with an orthopaedic sole.
In response, The Cut declared Francis the world's 'normcore pope' in 2015, and he was also honoured by Esquire as 2013's Best-Dressed Man. And though he never donned a jersey (in public), Francis was also a noted sports fan with a love for soccer, specifically his hometown club, San Lorenzo de Almagro.
A month in, Pope Leo's own style has flown under the radar until now, but the statement-making look of the White Sox cap could be a sign of things to come. A new mural in Rome of the pontiff in a twist on the Chicago Bulls jersey may be a harbinger — and, after all, is a classic papal shade of red.
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After the Democrats' colossal deceit of installing a decompensating Joe Biden in 2020, American voters have opted for chaos, for tearing down the rotten edifice of orthodox, institution-based politics and replacing it with things wholly more believable - ego, revenge, self-enrichment and power. They didn't elect Trump in spite of the January 6, insurrection, but because of it. There may not be a single likeable character in which they can feel genuinely invested, but in Trump, there is a superior level of authenticity. He wasn't installed to be restrained or empathetic, or a more politically conservative version of Biden or Obama. Their tinkering proceduralism was the central problem. Trump is the wrecker of worlds, defier of courts, commander in chief in America's new (un)civil war. Rules and standards are for breaking. Everything has become about doubling down, obliterating elite outrage on this or that scandal, with something bigger. 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A discussion ensued in which I explained, as much to myself as to my partner, that in past episodes, I kept wishing that a giant concrete block would drop from above silencing the vulgar combatants - Two Ronnies-style. There was not a single likeable character and virtually every sentence was an exercise in cruelty and sexual depravity. Of course, this was the satirical point. Here was a vast media company owned by one disgustingly rich family wantonly controlling public discourse and distorting political outcomes. Here, too, was deep unhappiness, familial brutality and toxic competition. There is no disputing, however, that Succession had tapped into the zeitgeist, just as there is no denying that we, as a culture, derive pleasure from horrible things. Try looking for series that don't feature murder and violence. Most of it, directed at women. If anything, politics in the US increasingly mimics the ruthless nihilism, shameless cynicism and power-lust of the Roys. After the Democrats' colossal deceit of installing a decompensating Joe Biden in 2020, American voters have opted for chaos, for tearing down the rotten edifice of orthodox, institution-based politics and replacing it with things wholly more believable - ego, revenge, self-enrichment and power. They didn't elect Trump in spite of the January 6, insurrection, but because of it. There may not be a single likeable character in which they can feel genuinely invested, but in Trump, there is a superior level of authenticity. He wasn't installed to be restrained or empathetic, or a more politically conservative version of Biden or Obama. Their tinkering proceduralism was the central problem. Trump is the wrecker of worlds, defier of courts, commander in chief in America's new (un)civil war. Rules and standards are for breaking. Everything has become about doubling down, obliterating elite outrage on this or that scandal, with something bigger. Trump's intellectual Svengali, Steve Bannon, invoking his best Successionist imagery, had previously described this as "flooding the zone with shit". And so it is. Little more than a week ago, the world had been agog at the spectacular - if long-expected - public bust-up between the President and Elon Musk. With all the dignity this pair is known for, they had attacked each other as liars, egomaniacs and moral degenerates. Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" (seriously, that is its name) was going to add something like US$2.4 trillion to the federal deficit through tax cuts - wiping out the meagre $100 billion or so Musk had tallied by slashing government agencies and sacking "non-patriots". Musk called Trump's spending a disgrace. Via this glimpse of satire-like insight, there was also truth - a backstage episode of government as reality TV. Musk became the apprentice who had been "fired!". Yet the whole thing was suddenly washed from the front pages by Trump's militarisation of his immigration crackdown via the federalisation of the National Guard in a Democrat state and the deployment of another 700 United States marines. This, to control a crisis he, the President, had manufactured. G7 leaders, and invitees such as Australia, are gathering in Canada to discuss the world economy and an increasingly fractious global security environment. Israel has chosen the moment to dramatically ratchet up its aggression, launching missile and drone attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities and on civilian structures. Suddenly, even the illegality of a permanent occupation and the unspeakable horror a manufactured famine in Gaza is second-order news. Trump had let it be known that he had asked the Netanyahu government to hold off launching strikes on Iran as he was close to a deal on nuclear non-proliferation and verification. No matter. In response to the attacks, he said on Truth Social "I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal ... certain Iranian hardliners spoke bravely but they didn't know what was about to happen. They are all DEAD now, and it will only get worse!" In Ukraine - the war Trump was to resolve in a day - Russia's attacks on Kyiv are said to be the most massive of the two-and-half-year invasion. Trump has apparently lost interest. MORE MARK KENNY: The Israel-Iran conflagration may see the American withdraw from the Canada summit, potentially robbing world leaders, including Anthony Albanese, of a chance to hold one-on-one talks on trade, security, and specifically, AUKUS. The Albanese government has been in damage-control mode in recent days following the announcement of a snap 30-day Pentagon review of the tripartite defence technology partnership in which Australia is already heavily out of pocket. Between that development (or is it an opportunity?), Australia's non-embrace of Trump administration stipulations that partners spend vastly more of their GDP in defence, and the Albanese government's participation in sanctions on two Israeli ministers, there are new frictions in the US-Australia relationship. While Albanese may yet be snubbed in Canada - cue opposition outrage - he can take comfort from his recent mandate and from the fact that, unlike Americans, voters here still value the separation of powers, social cohesion, and a free press. Americans might have ceded government to corrupt oligarchs with the fluid morals of TV scriptwriters, but Australians still believe in sound government. Logan Roy would hate it. Looking for something engaging, I briefly considered getting around to the final season of Succession - the HBO series inspired by the Murdochs. A discussion ensued in which I explained, as much to myself as to my partner, that in past episodes, I kept wishing that a giant concrete block would drop from above silencing the vulgar combatants - Two Ronnies-style. There was not a single likeable character and virtually every sentence was an exercise in cruelty and sexual depravity. Of course, this was the satirical point. Here was a vast media company owned by one disgustingly rich family wantonly controlling public discourse and distorting political outcomes. Here, too, was deep unhappiness, familial brutality and toxic competition. There is no disputing, however, that Succession had tapped into the zeitgeist, just as there is no denying that we, as a culture, derive pleasure from horrible things. Try looking for series that don't feature murder and violence. Most of it, directed at women. If anything, politics in the US increasingly mimics the ruthless nihilism, shameless cynicism and power-lust of the Roys. After the Democrats' colossal deceit of installing a decompensating Joe Biden in 2020, American voters have opted for chaos, for tearing down the rotten edifice of orthodox, institution-based politics and replacing it with things wholly more believable - ego, revenge, self-enrichment and power. They didn't elect Trump in spite of the January 6, insurrection, but because of it. There may not be a single likeable character in which they can feel genuinely invested, but in Trump, there is a superior level of authenticity. He wasn't installed to be restrained or empathetic, or a more politically conservative version of Biden or Obama. Their tinkering proceduralism was the central problem. Trump is the wrecker of worlds, defier of courts, commander in chief in America's new (un)civil war. Rules and standards are for breaking. Everything has become about doubling down, obliterating elite outrage on this or that scandal, with something bigger. Trump's intellectual Svengali, Steve Bannon, invoking his best Successionist imagery, had previously described this as "flooding the zone with shit". And so it is. Little more than a week ago, the world had been agog at the spectacular - if long-expected - public bust-up between the President and Elon Musk. With all the dignity this pair is known for, they had attacked each other as liars, egomaniacs and moral degenerates. Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" (seriously, that is its name) was going to add something like US$2.4 trillion to the federal deficit through tax cuts - wiping out the meagre $100 billion or so Musk had tallied by slashing government agencies and sacking "non-patriots". Musk called Trump's spending a disgrace. Via this glimpse of satire-like insight, there was also truth - a backstage episode of government as reality TV. Musk became the apprentice who had been "fired!". Yet the whole thing was suddenly washed from the front pages by Trump's militarisation of his immigration crackdown via the federalisation of the National Guard in a Democrat state and the deployment of another 700 United States marines. This, to control a crisis he, the President, had manufactured. G7 leaders, and invitees such as Australia, are gathering in Canada to discuss the world economy and an increasingly fractious global security environment. Israel has chosen the moment to dramatically ratchet up its aggression, launching missile and drone attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities and on civilian structures. Suddenly, even the illegality of a permanent occupation and the unspeakable horror a manufactured famine in Gaza is second-order news. Trump had let it be known that he had asked the Netanyahu government to hold off launching strikes on Iran as he was close to a deal on nuclear non-proliferation and verification. No matter. In response to the attacks, he said on Truth Social "I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal ... certain Iranian hardliners spoke bravely but they didn't know what was about to happen. They are all DEAD now, and it will only get worse!" In Ukraine - the war Trump was to resolve in a day - Russia's attacks on Kyiv are said to be the most massive of the two-and-half-year invasion. Trump has apparently lost interest. MORE MARK KENNY: The Israel-Iran conflagration may see the American withdraw from the Canada summit, potentially robbing world leaders, including Anthony Albanese, of a chance to hold one-on-one talks on trade, security, and specifically, AUKUS. The Albanese government has been in damage-control mode in recent days following the announcement of a snap 30-day Pentagon review of the tripartite defence technology partnership in which Australia is already heavily out of pocket. Between that development (or is it an opportunity?), Australia's non-embrace of Trump administration stipulations that partners spend vastly more of their GDP in defence, and the Albanese government's participation in sanctions on two Israeli ministers, there are new frictions in the US-Australia relationship. While Albanese may yet be snubbed in Canada - cue opposition outrage - he can take comfort from his recent mandate and from the fact that, unlike Americans, voters here still value the separation of powers, social cohesion, and a free press. Americans might have ceded government to corrupt oligarchs with the fluid morals of TV scriptwriters, but Australians still believe in sound government. Logan Roy would hate it.
The Advertiser
4 hours ago
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Zverev sets up Stuttgart final with his old nemesis
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Despite the defeat, Shelton can take plenty of positives from the ATP 250 event, with the 22-year-old set to make his top 10 debut in the ATP rankings on Monday. In the first semi-final, Fritz, ranked seventh in the world, sent down 10 aces and 23 winners, winning 86 percent of his first-serve points to knock out Canadian fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 7-6 (7-5). "The clay-court season wasn't the best for me, so I came here more motivated to start the grass season off well," said Fritz after reaching his first tour-level final since November. "I'm super happy that I've been able to start it off with a final. "I'm locked in and ready to go. Once I start winning a couple of matches on grass and start feeling good, all the other things start clicking for me." In the other European ATP event going on in Rosmalen, Ugo Humbert, the only seed left in the draw, crashed out to Gabriel Diallo 6-3 7-6 (7-4) in the semi-final. The Canadian advances to a final duel with Belgium's Zizou Bergs, with the p[air both seeking their maiden title. Bergs had little trouble overcoming Daniil Medvedev's American conqueror Reilly Opelka 6-1 6-4. German star Alexander Zverev has taken out US third seed Ben Shelton with a 7-6 (10-8) 7-6 (7-1) victory in the semi-finals of the Stuttgart Open to set up a showdown with his nemesis Taylor Fritz. Zverev and Shelton tested each other in a high-quality encounter before the world No.3 played a near flawless tiebreak to clinch the match in little over two hours on Saturday and stretch his career win-loss record over the American to 3-0. The 28-year-old banged down 15 aces, 35 winners and did not face a break point in front of his home crowd to reach his first grass-court final in eight years. "I'm super happy to be in the final, it's my first grass-court final since 2017," Zverev said. "It's been eight years. I actually really like playing on the surface. I'm happy to be in the final in Germany again, I'm looking forward to it." But in the final, a bigger test awaits Zverev as he tackles Fritz, the American who's beaten him on the last four occasions they've played over the past year. Despite the defeat, Shelton can take plenty of positives from the ATP 250 event, with the 22-year-old set to make his top 10 debut in the ATP rankings on Monday. In the first semi-final, Fritz, ranked seventh in the world, sent down 10 aces and 23 winners, winning 86 percent of his first-serve points to knock out Canadian fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 7-6 (7-5). "The clay-court season wasn't the best for me, so I came here more motivated to start the grass season off well," said Fritz after reaching his first tour-level final since November. "I'm super happy that I've been able to start it off with a final. "I'm locked in and ready to go. Once I start winning a couple of matches on grass and start feeling good, all the other things start clicking for me." In the other European ATP event going on in Rosmalen, Ugo Humbert, the only seed left in the draw, crashed out to Gabriel Diallo 6-3 7-6 (7-4) in the semi-final. The Canadian advances to a final duel with Belgium's Zizou Bergs, with the p[air both seeking their maiden title. Bergs had little trouble overcoming Daniil Medvedev's American conqueror Reilly Opelka 6-1 6-4. German star Alexander Zverev has taken out US third seed Ben Shelton with a 7-6 (10-8) 7-6 (7-1) victory in the semi-finals of the Stuttgart Open to set up a showdown with his nemesis Taylor Fritz. Zverev and Shelton tested each other in a high-quality encounter before the world No.3 played a near flawless tiebreak to clinch the match in little over two hours on Saturday and stretch his career win-loss record over the American to 3-0. The 28-year-old banged down 15 aces, 35 winners and did not face a break point in front of his home crowd to reach his first grass-court final in eight years. "I'm super happy to be in the final, it's my first grass-court final since 2017," Zverev said. "It's been eight years. I actually really like playing on the surface. I'm happy to be in the final in Germany again, I'm looking forward to it." But in the final, a bigger test awaits Zverev as he tackles Fritz, the American who's beaten him on the last four occasions they've played over the past year. Despite the defeat, Shelton can take plenty of positives from the ATP 250 event, with the 22-year-old set to make his top 10 debut in the ATP rankings on Monday. In the first semi-final, Fritz, ranked seventh in the world, sent down 10 aces and 23 winners, winning 86 percent of his first-serve points to knock out Canadian fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 7-6 (7-5). "The clay-court season wasn't the best for me, so I came here more motivated to start the grass season off well," said Fritz after reaching his first tour-level final since November. "I'm super happy that I've been able to start it off with a final. "I'm locked in and ready to go. Once I start winning a couple of matches on grass and start feeling good, all the other things start clicking for me." In the other European ATP event going on in Rosmalen, Ugo Humbert, the only seed left in the draw, crashed out to Gabriel Diallo 6-3 7-6 (7-4) in the semi-final. The Canadian advances to a final duel with Belgium's Zizou Bergs, with the p[air both seeking their maiden title. Bergs had little trouble overcoming Daniil Medvedev's American conqueror Reilly Opelka 6-1 6-4. German star Alexander Zverev has taken out US third seed Ben Shelton with a 7-6 (10-8) 7-6 (7-1) victory in the semi-finals of the Stuttgart Open to set up a showdown with his nemesis Taylor Fritz. Zverev and Shelton tested each other in a high-quality encounter before the world No.3 played a near flawless tiebreak to clinch the match in little over two hours on Saturday and stretch his career win-loss record over the American to 3-0. The 28-year-old banged down 15 aces, 35 winners and did not face a break point in front of his home crowd to reach his first grass-court final in eight years. "I'm super happy to be in the final, it's my first grass-court final since 2017," Zverev said. "It's been eight years. I actually really like playing on the surface. I'm happy to be in the final in Germany again, I'm looking forward to it." But in the final, a bigger test awaits Zverev as he tackles Fritz, the American who's beaten him on the last four occasions they've played over the past year. Despite the defeat, Shelton can take plenty of positives from the ATP 250 event, with the 22-year-old set to make his top 10 debut in the ATP rankings on Monday. In the first semi-final, Fritz, ranked seventh in the world, sent down 10 aces and 23 winners, winning 86 percent of his first-serve points to knock out Canadian fourth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 7-6 (7-5). "The clay-court season wasn't the best for me, so I came here more motivated to start the grass season off well," said Fritz after reaching his first tour-level final since November. "I'm super happy that I've been able to start it off with a final. "I'm locked in and ready to go. Once I start winning a couple of matches on grass and start feeling good, all the other things start clicking for me." In the other European ATP event going on in Rosmalen, Ugo Humbert, the only seed left in the draw, crashed out to Gabriel Diallo 6-3 7-6 (7-4) in the semi-final. The Canadian advances to a final duel with Belgium's Zizou Bergs, with the p[air both seeking their maiden title. Bergs had little trouble overcoming Daniil Medvedev's American conqueror Reilly Opelka 6-1 6-4.
