Special prayer for Pope Leo XIV delivered at Holy Name Cathedral’s Sunday services​on May 12, 2025 at 4:24 am

CHICAGO (WLS) — Pope Leo XIV delivered his first Sunday blessing at St. Peter’s Basilica.

The faithful also worshipped Sunday at Holy Name Cathedral, where the new pope was honor with a special prayer, and other churches in the Chicago area.

The new pontiff is now preparing to meet with the press on Monday for the first time since his election.

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Bands of the jubilee were playing, the sun was shining and it was a real celebration of a new era, another chapter for the centuries-old Catholic Church.

For the first time since accepting the papacy, Pope Leo reemerged on the Loggia balcony to offer his papal blessing.

The pope’s Chicago roots ran deep through the crowd of tens of thousands in Vatican City.

Pope Leo’s inauguration Mass is one week from Sunday, and many are still buzzing over the Chicago-born pope.

“The fact that it’s an American pope, I feel like now, we have a closer connection,” said Rita Ramos, who visited Holy Name Cathedral from Austin, Texas, with her husband on Sunday. “Once we found out it was an American pope, I was like ‘Oh, my word, never in over 2,000 years, and from Chicago, and we’re going there in a few days.'”

A special prayer for the pope was delivered during services at Holy Name Cathedral on Sunday morning. The church held its first Sunday Mass since Pope Leo XIV was elected just days ago.

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Kathleen Philippi got emotional just talking about the new pope and what he stands for.

“Probably his humbleness and kindness,” Philippi said. “He seems like such a humble man, and I think we need that now.”

Of course, all of this comes as much of the international spotlight has been on Chicago this week. It is the birthplace of Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV.

Holy Name usher Elizabeth Pullapilly was in Mass on Thursday when the news that the pope elected is from Chicago sent a shockwave around the world.

“It was wonderful. People were so excited and everybody was so happy that they picked Chicago, as the pope from Chicago,” Pullapilly said.

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The 69-year-old Pope Leo XIV was born on the South Side and raised in south suburban Dolton.

Holy Name Cathedral Fr. Andy Matijevic says the pope’s South Side roots bring the Holy Father to a new level of relatability for so many people.

“I think realizing the pope, we have a bigger boost in the global world of what we can provide to everyone else,” Matijevic said. “To see the pope is a person who has sports teams, who likes chocolate cake, who likes to just joke with people. The pope seen earlier in history was a mystical figure. He is that, but he’s also a human we can connect with and talk to.”

Also on Sunday, there was a special Spanish Mass at Our Lady of Mercy in Albany Park on the North Side. Many congregants there have ties to Peru, a place where Pope Leo spent many years serving.

For congregants at Our Lady of Mercy, the new pontiff’s first Sunday blessing brings a lot of pride and hope for the future of the Catholic Church.

‘We have a group of Peruvians here too who are very excited that the pope has been a missionary in Peru and a bishop there,” Father Thomas Byrne said.

It was a packed house at the church for their Sunday morning Spanish Mass. On the mind of many was the new pope. He is a Chicago native and a dual citizen of Peru, where he spent several years immersed in the culture and involved with the Catholic church.

Marcos Sifuentes, who is Peruvian, said the pope is loved because he is humble and made it his mission to unite the church with the people.

Catholic parishioner Ruben Reina said the pope spent lots of time in Peru with indigenous communities, and he is a man of great faith and they also have a lot of faith in him.

In his first Sunday blessing, Pope Leo XIV called for peace in Ukraine and a ceasefire in Gaza, words that resonated with Catholics in Chicago.

Parishioner Karina Reina said we have to love everyone, no matter their religion or race.

Father Byrne said he is excited about the new pope and hopes that he visits Chicago soon, where he would gladly welcome him at Our Lady of Mercy.

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ABC7 has heard so many stories this week from people who have spent time with the pope while he was growing up in the Chicago area, whether it be during his younger years or while he was in school, pursuing a calling in the church.

John Prevost even told ABC News that when his brother, now the pope, was just in the first grade, a neighbor said he was going to be the very first American pope.

Pope Leo XIV even spent time teaching at St. Rita High School on the South Side, where he was affectionately known to many simply as “Father Bob.”

It is also officially confirmed now that the pope is a White Sox fan. There is video evidence to prove it, too, capturing him at a World Series game back in 2005.