Posted by Pope Leo fervor has reached around the world, and the city owning the bragging rights to being his hometown is no exception.
Robert Francis Prevost, now known to the world as Pope Leo XIV, is not only the first American pope, but was born in Chicago proper and hails from the suburban conclave of Dalton. And that’s a perfect opportunity for the Windy City to capitalize on their connection to the new pontiff.
From pope cookies, to t-shirts, to talks of designating his boyhood home as a historical site, the signs of Chicagoans proudly proclaiming their association with Pope Leo are everywhere.
The popular American casual fast-food chain, Portillo’s, is no exception. Known for their Chicago-style dogs, Italian beef, and other menu items, the opportunity has not been lost on the sandwich vendor to celebrate the momentous event with the rest of the city.
In the same spirit, Portillo’s has jumped onto the wave of papal popularity by renaming their popular Italian beef sandwich, The Leo. “Much like the pope, it’s been symbolically renamed — to mark a historic moment for Chicagoans,” wrote Today.
“The Leo” will be available throughout the month of May, which also coincides with Italian beef month at the restaurant. The sandwich features signature beef roasted for four hours and double dipped in a spicy gravy.
“We’re just thrilled and proud that someone from our great city was elevated to this wonderful position,” said Portillo’s Market Manager, Bruce Lemasurier. “And we just wanted to pay homage to that and celebrate together with the rest of Chicago.”
One store in Wrigleyville is taking pre-orders for their “Pope Leo XIV Collection,” which includes t-shirts sporting slogans such as “Da Pope” for Bears fans and “Sweet Pope Chicago 14” for Chicagoans from the Southside.
Online memes of Pope Leo doing “Chicago things” are appearing all over the internet. Two things are clear: residents of Chicago are proud of their association with the new pope, and marketers are ready to celebrate that.