Chicago White Sox Unveils New Mural Honoring Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo XIV may be living a new life in the Vatican, but he’ll forever have a presence in Chicago—not just because it’s the city in which he was born and raised, but because of a new mural inside the Chicago White Sox stadium.

Unveiled on May 19, the mural is located on the concourse wall near Section 140, the exact spot where the Pope watched the White Sox go head-to-head with the Houston Astros during the 2005 World Series. Joining him on game day was the late Ed Schmit, a close friend and a season ticket holder, along with his family, who knew the Pope as “Father Bob.” In fact, Schmit’s grandson, Eddie Schmit IV, was captured beside the Pope in the game’s broadcast, which is also featured in the new installation as an accompanying screenshot.

“When all this transpired, I looked back and I said, ‘Is that the Pope next to me?’ Sure enough it was,” Schmit IV said. “The Pope is a White Sox fan. He was at Game 1 of the World Series, and everyone knows now.”

The mural was spearheaded by the White Sox’s internal design services team, and is placed directly rather than painted on the wall. In the composition, Pope Leo is depicted with a wide smile, donning papal regalia decorated with intricate patterns. His right arm is raised in a warm greeting, as if welcoming visitors to Rate Field.

“For us to acknowledge the section by having the Pope be part of our history, for us to be able to put something as quickly as we have been able to do, to put this on the ballpark is something very special for us,” Brooks Boyer, the White Sox executive vice president, chief revenue, and marketing officer, said. “It only adds to our 125 years of history at the park.”

On May 8, 2025, Pope Leo XIV, then known as Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, made history by becoming the first pope born in the United States. At first, his election struck many as unexpected, not only due to his nationality, but also because his name was floated less frequently by experts than other leading candidates. Chicago natives, however, quickly jumped at the chance to celebrate.

“I just never thought I would see in my lifetime a North American Pope, let alone a White Sox fan from the South Side of Chicago that is among us,” Boyer added. “You thought when the sitting President was a White Sox fan, President [Barack] Obama, it probably can’t get much higher than that.”

Even though it may have come as a surprise for others, it certainly wasn’t one for the Schmit family.

“Right around the time my dad was passing, Father Bob made sure he spoke with him,” Heidi Skokal, Ed Schmit’s daughter, recalled. “He said to Father Bob, ‘I know you are going to be the next Pope. I might not be here to see it, but I will definitely be looking down.’ I’m sure he is today.”

To learn more about the new mural, visit the MLB website.