Pope Leo XIV’s fans clearly don’t mess around.
The 69-year-old, who used to be Cardinal Robert Prevost, grew up in Chicago and became the first American pope earlier this year.
And now, just a few months into his papacy, he’s already gotten something pretty special from back home: his favorite pizza.
During a ride through Saint Peter’s Square in Rome on July 30, something unexpected happened. As he passed through the crowd, he got a surprise care package straight from Chicago.
The pope lights up at the sight of a familiar pizza logo
There’s a video going around that shows him rolling through the square in a popemobile.
At one point, he suddenly stopped after spotting something in the crowd. Someone was holding up a sign with the Aurelio’s Pizza logo on it, and it definitely caught his eye.
A young fan shares how the viral moment unfolded
Madeline Daley, 22, came all the way from Cincinnati to make the delivery. She talked to NBC News about the whole thing.
“When Pope Leo came around, he kept grabbing babies to bless them, but as soon as he saw the pizza, he had babies in his hand, but he’s still saying, like, ‘Get me that pizza, I want that pizza,’ ” she said in a video interview.
Daley added, “And seeing the logo made him light up, and his smile was from ear to ear and he was extremely excited about it.”
His brother confirms he actually ate the pizza
The pope didn’t just get the box for show — he ate it.
His brother, John Prevost, confirmed to WGN-TV that Pope Leo had the six-inch pepperoni pizza shipped over on dry ice.
Pretty cool that they actually made sure it stayed frozen all the way to Rome!
The pizzeria’s CEO is thrilled by the surprise
Joe Aurelio, CEO of Aurelio’s Pizza, told NBC News he couldn’t believe it when he saw what happened.
“Pope Leo has been a lifetime Aurelio’s fan and going to Aurelio’s Pizza in Homewood, Ill., since the 1960s,” he said.
“So it’s been part of his life and for him to recognize [the pizza] and actually stop there in the audience was amazing.”
A special delivery made possible by Catholic influencers
Turns out, this whole thing wasn’t random. Daley and her friends told WGN-TV they’re part of a group of young Catholic influencers who had a plan.
They were set on making sure the pope got his pizza. And honestly, they pulled it off.
The journey began with a road trip to Chicago
Jayden Remias from Ohio and Jake Ochave from Virginia kicked off the mission.
“We went to Chicago. It was about a six-to-seven hour drive,” Ochave told the station.
Daley took over from there and made sure the pizza got the rest of the way to Rome.
Aurelio’s Pizza has a long-standing Chicago legacy
Aurelio’s has been a Chicago staple for years, especially known for their thin crust version of Chicago-style pizza.
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The chain runs three company-owned stores and 37 franchises across six states.
Back in May, they shut down their South Loop spot in Chicago. Joe Aurelio said it was part of a plan to focus on new areas and grow the franchise.
