The Vatican -His Holiness Mar Awa III, Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, met with Pope Leo XIV in Rome on October 27 during celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Church’s declaration on relations with non-Christian religions.

Both leaders share roots in Chicago, and the meeting highlighted their warm rapport, though not their baseball loyalties. Pope Leo is a devoted White Sox supporter, while Mar Awa favors the Cubs.

At the close of their audience, Mar Awa presented the Pope with a customized Cubs jersey bearing the name “Leo” and the number 14. The patriarch later posted a photo of the exchange on Instagram, joking that “the pope loved the gift.”

The friendly rivalry added humor to an otherwise formal occasion. Pope Leo has previously shown his love for baseball, even joining pilgrims in chanting “White Sox!” during a papal audience at St. Peter’s Square.

According to the Catholic News Agency, the Pope urged the Patriarch to seek "full communion", proposing a synod to help achieve it.