Mar Awa III gives Pope Leo XIV a Chicago Cubs jersey, rivals of the pope\u2019s White Sox His Holiness Mar Awa III, Catholicos-patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, traveled to Rome this week to participate in a ceremony commemorating the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Church\u2019s declaration on building relations with non-Christian religions. During his stay in the Eternal City, Mar Awa III, born David Royel to Assyrian immigrant parents, met Oct. 27 with Pope Leo XIV in a private audience. The two share the same hometown of Chicago. During the meeting, the pope urged the two churches to seek \u201cfull communion,\u201d proposing synodality as the path to achieving it. However, it seems that this communion does not extend to the realm of sports. The leader of the Assyrian Church is a fan of the Chicago Cubs, while the Roman pontiff supports their eternal rivals, the White Sox. In his luggage, Mar Awa III made sure to include a Cubs jersey, which he presented to Pope Leo XIV as a gift at the end of his audience at the Vatican. During the gift exchange, the Cubs fan wore a satisfied smile, while the Holy Father, with an expression of resignation, held up the dark blue jersey with the name \u201cLeo\u201d and the number 14 printed in red. Mar Awa III posted a photo of the moment on his Instagram profile, where he wrote: \u201cDuring the exchange of gifts, I presented the pope with a customized Cubs jersey and hat (in honor of all our North Side Chicagoans). Needless to say, the pope loved the gift,\u201c he recounted with evident irony. Pope Leo XIV has demonstrated his love for baseball on several occasions. During one of his usual tours through St. Peter\u2019s Square in the popemobile before a general audience, he surprised onlookers by spontaneously joining a group of pilgrims in chanting \u201cWhite Sox!\u201d, making it clear which team he supports. Chicago\u2019s North Side Cubs have annually played the city\u2019s South Side White Sox in the interleague \u201cCrosstown Classic.\u201d As of July of this year, the Cubs have an all-time edge of 77-75 over the White Sox since the series began, Yahoo News reported. This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA\u2019s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today EWTN Vatican on WhatsApp Almudena Mart\u00ednez-Bordi\u00fa Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter. More news related to this article Tracing the Roots of the Jubilee Doors Cardinal Zuppi in China: “Seeking Pathways to Peace” Vatican Offers Plenary Indulgence for ‘Seven Church Pilgrimage’ After Historic Church Renovation for 2025 Jubilee Year Unlocking the Secrets of the Vatican Museums: An Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Look Bishops of Argentina Extend Invitation to Pope Francis: “Your Visit Will Benefit Us Greatly” Pope Francis in Hungary: European unity \u2018crucial\u2019 to peace<\/p>\n