A group of young Catholic influencers teamed up to get Pope Leo XIV his favorite dish from his hometown
\nEarlier this year, the 69-year-old Chicago native made history as the first American pope
\n\u201cSeeing the logo made him light up, and his smile was from ear to ear,\u201d Madeline Daley, 22, said of the delivery
\nPope Leo XIV has a devout following who always makes sure to deliver \u2014 even when it\u2019s pizza!<\/p>\n
The 69-year-old Chicago native, previously known as Cardinal Robert Prevost before he made history as the first American pope in April, received a special care package from back home that was gifted to him by fans as he rode through Saint Peter\u2019s Square in Rome on Wednesday, July 30.<\/p>\n
Footage shared online showed the pope riding in a vehicle, making his way through a crowd. He stopped in his tracks when he spotted with a familiar sight: a sign donning the Aurelio\u2019s Pizza logo.<\/p>\n
Madeline Daley, a 22-year-old Cincinnati resident who made the trek to deliver the treat, recounted the viral moment with NBC News.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Pope Leo came around, he kept grabbing babies to bless them, but as soon as he saw the pizza, he had babies in his hand, but he\u2019s still saying, like, \u2018Get me that pizza, I want that pizza,\u2019 \u201d she told the outlet in a video interview.<\/p>\n
Daley added, \u201cAnd seeing the logo made him light up, and his smile was from ear to ear and he was extremely excited about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pope\u2019s brother John Prevost confirmed that the pontiff ate his six-inch Aurelio\u2019s pepperoni pizza, which was shipped using dry ice, the medical unit from Chicago\u2019s WGN-TV reported.<\/p>\n
Joe Aurelio, president and CEO of Aurelio\u2019s Pizza, told NBC News he was surprised to see the \u201camazing\u201d delivery.<\/p>\n
\u201cPope Leo has been a lifetime Aurelio\u2019s fan and going to Aurelio\u2019s Pizza in Homewood, Ill., since the 1960s,\u201d the CEO said. \u201cSo it\u2019s been part of his life and for him to recognize [the pizza] and actually stop there in the audience was amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
In May, the family-owned pizzeria closed its Chicago South Loop location in what Aurelio described as a decision to help the company \u201cfocus on new territories and expand our franchise,\u201d per ABC 7.<\/p>\n
The Illinois restaurant chain specializes in thin crust varieties of Chicago-style pizza. Aurelio\u2019s Pizza has three corporate owned stores and 37 franchised locations in six states.<\/p>\n
Daley\u2019s friends told WGN-TV they were part of a group of young Catholic influencers who made it their mission to get the pope the pizza.<\/p>\n
Jayden Remias of Ohio and Jake Ochave of Virginia traveled to Chicago for the pickup.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe went to Chicago. It was about a six-to-seven hour drive,\u201d Ochave told the local news station. Daley was then able to help with their group effort by getting the dish to Rome.<\/p>\n