From The New York Times:
Pope Leo XIV wasn’t at Rate Field when the Chicago White Sox unveiled the “Pope Hat” as a giveaway two weeks ago.
But the team made sure the hat made its way into the pontiff’s hands.
Pope Leo posed with the “Pope Hat” in a picture posted to X by the White Sox’s team account Thursday morning.
“The White Sox Pope Hat has officially landed at the Vatican,” the White Sox tweeted.
Related: Here’s a first: ‘Pope hat’ for White Sox fans
In the photo, Pope Leo — born Robert Prevost, a diehard White Sox fan from south suburban Dolton, Ill. — was holding the hat and smiling while standing with Father Tom McCarthy, also from Chicago.
The hat was a hit when the White Sox gave away almost 40,000 of the mitre hats emblazoned with their logo and lappets on the back on Aug. 11. The giveaway drew an announced crowd of 38,113.
The White Sox haven’t been bashful about boasting their connection to Pope Leo, who was elected leader of the Catholic Church last year. They put up a mural of him in the ballpark and held a Mass there in his honor.
