Chicago's Pope Honors Humble Roots

The Windy City erupted when native son Robert Prevost became Pope Leo XIV. "He still remembers our mom's tamale recipe," beams brother Carlos of the first American pope. The St. Rita High School alum (class of '73) incorporates Chicago quirks into Vatican life - deep dish pizza Fridays, blessing the Cubs annually, and using "da" instead of "the" in informal speeches. His childhood parish, St. Nicholas of Tolentine (named for an Augustinian saint), now hosts endless pilgrimages. "He's the ultimate Chicago hybrid," says Mayor Johnson, noting the pope's Mexican-American mother and French-Canadian father. The math major (Villanova) even calculates collection plate statistics for fun. From the South Side to the Holy See - only in America.