The Internet Reacts To Pope Leo XIV

Have you heard the news? There’s a new Pope. Pope Leo XIV to be precise, aka Robert Francis Prevost. He was born in Chicago. Graduated a Villanova wildcat. Now he’s the first American Pope, which was such an honor to realize. Catholics make up less than 20 percent of the global population, but everyone’s got an opinion about the newest guy wearing the holiest robes.

The internet has changed a lot since the last Pope was selected back in 2013. For example, Pope Francis was not a known poster at the time, unlike Pope Leo XIV who has tweets going back years. Here’s one about how the death penalty is bad. Here’s him retweeting priest memes. He’s from the south of Chicago a bonified White Sox fan according to his brother. He might be the first Pope ever to have eaten a Chicago hot dog.

When the white smoke was first spotted rising from the Vatican on Thursday, many hoped it meant their boy Pizzaballa had won the Conclave royale. Maybe next time.

Deep Dish beat Pizzaballa

— Sam Stein (@samstein) May 8, 2025

New Pope serving the body of Christ at mass pic.twitter.com/retLuaWp0o

— Asscela Express 🚅 (@biz_socks) May 8, 2025

FIRST BOOMER JOKE TWEET POPE 🙏 pic.twitter.com/EFZrDfhNFu

— Nat Purser (@NatPurser) May 8, 2025

the pope from chicago receiving a message from god pic.twitter.com/leYJd6liu9

— patrick. (@imPatrickT) May 8, 2025

Sales have neither increased or decreased in the Holy See but maybe the new Pope will change that https://t.co/tNYR9cBnJN

— Very AFK (@Cromwelp) May 8, 2025

The Conclave has an insane initiation process for the new Pope god damn pic.twitter.com/w94n4JSdJt

— Radec (@realradec) May 8, 2025

A new Pope from Chicago needs a true Chicago introduction… 🔊 pic.twitter.com/ZwtLzbv7hu

— Ben Heisler (@bennyheis) May 8, 2025

Hopefully, he’s a good pope, for whatever that amounts to. In the meantime, the Giant Bomb (rip) wiki remains online and has a decent list of all pope sightings in video games. While his holiness’ depiction in the Assassin’s Creed games is well established, I had no idea the pope is also featured in Electronic Super Joy. The 2013 indie action platformer also features a level in which you need to fight the pope. Doing so restores peace to Groove City and the new pope helps you on your adventure.

While it remains unknown at this time if Pope Leo XIV has ever played a video game—perhaps a few rounds of Pac-Man or Space Invaders in the back of a pizza shop in the ‘80s—the Catholic Church did recently make young Pokémon and Halo fan Carlo, who died of leukemia, into the first gamer saint. Maybe Leo XIV can become the first gamer pope. He apparently prepped for this week by watching Conclave and playing Wordle.

Update 5/9/2025 9:26 a.m. ET: Added new information about Pope Leo’s MLB and gaming preferences.