History was made on May 8 when the first American pope was elected. Pope Leo XIV was elected after only two days, with the conclave beginning the morning of May 7. Then, on May 8, white smoke emerged from the top of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, cheers echoed through St. Peter’s Square, and American flags welcomed the new pontiff. Born in Chicago, 69-year-old Robert Francis Prevost became the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Whether you’re Catholic or not, the pope is a major icon in politics, pop culture, and fashion alike, so it’s not surprising that many people were anticipating the announcement of who would be the next leader of the papacy.
That being said, the internet is going wild over the first American pope from Chicago. Memes of Chicago and American patriotism are going viral on Instagram, TikTok, and X. From making jokes about deep dish pizza to academic paper formats to TikToks of a pope with a Chicago accent, the new pope is making history and these memes are, too. (Not to mention that they’ve also kept me giggling at my Instagram Explore Page for hours this week.) Here are some of the funniest Chicago pope memes to send your besties.
As a junior who is in the middle of finals with several papers due, this Chicago style meme had me dying of laughter.
What screams American patriotism more than a Costco, Buckee’s, and Waffle House in the middle of St. Peter’s square?
Chicago tourism social media pages are taking this opportunity to remind everyone of the city’s iconic influence, including Portillo’s hot dogs and the Windy City’s Cloud Gate (aka the Bean).
TikToks of users dressed up and talking with a Chicago accent are all over my For You Page right now, but I’ll never scroll past one.
Some people are even expressing that although they aren’t religious, they are still cheering for Pope Leo XIV.
Pope Leo XIV already had his first address as pope and held his first mass, so we’ll undoubtedly be seeing more of him (and potentially, more memes) in the days and weeks to come.