"The Pope is from Chicago. This is one of the biggest moments in the modern history of our city," said Mayor Brandon Johnson in a statement.

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield released a statement expressing profound joy and deep gratitude to God for the election.

Many sites associated with past popes have become museums or holy destinations for the faithful. But Pope Leo XIV’s childhood church closed years ago.

The election of Pope Leo XIV as the first-American pontiff shocked the world, and Chicago residents rejoiced in the Holy See’s ties to the Windy City.

The church where Pope Leo XIV attended mass as a child and served as an altar boy is now an empty shell.Only the stained glass windows remain intact inside the sturdy facade of St Mary's of the Assumption on the far edge of Chicago's South Side.

Sox fans jumped on the news, posting tweets that the Cubs’ claim was premature. If it’s true he’s a Sox fan, Pope Leo XIV would be the team’s second representative of the Vatican after former Sox pitcher “The Pope” Donn Pall.

John Prevost, Pope Leo's older brother, confirmed his MLB allegiance in multiple interviews, putting to rest the debate between the North and South Side.

Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was chosen as the 267th Pope elected by 133 cardinals locked inside the Sistine Chapel on the second day of their conclave - a process that has been in the cultural zeitgeist recently due to the Oscar-nominated movie of the same name starring Ralph Fiennes.

Sports fans had one question when Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago was elected as the new pope: What are his favorite teams?

The sports loyalties of Pope Leo XIV became a topic of conversation almost as soon as the white smoke emerged from the Vatican's Sistine Chapel.