Pope Leo might serve God, but he was born and raised in Chicago, and his second allegiance is to the White Sox.
That loyalty was on full display this past Sunday when the pontiff was gliding through Vatican City in the Popemobile after mass, surrounded by tens of thousands of cheering onlookers. Somewhere in the crowd, one brave (or possibly clueless) heckler decided to test the Pope’s patience by yelling, “Go Cubs!”
Now, Leo may preach forgiveness and neighborly love, but not when it comes to a good crosstown rivalry. Without missing a beat, he fired back, “Han perdido! They lost!”
If your Spanish is a little rusty, “han perdido” means “they lost,” which makes this divine clapback even better.
The Cubs had just been knocked out of the National League Divisional Series by the Milwaukee Brewers, and apparently, Pope Leo wasn’t in the mood for Cub-related trolling.
The moment quickly went viral, with fans around the world praising the Pope’s hometown spirit.
Even Sox fans back in Chicago were calling it “the holiest burn of the season.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time a public figure has shown some baseball bias, but it might be the first time the Bishop of Rome joined the ranks of salty sports fans. Then again, if you’ve lived through as many disappointing Cubs seasons as Chicagoans have, it’s easy to understand why the pontiff’s prayers go toward the South Side instead.
So next time you’re in Vatican City and thinking about shouting “Go Cubs” at the Pope—maybe don’t. Unless you’re ready for some holy smack talk.