Mayor Johnson – Mayor Brandon Johnson arrived at the Vatican for a private meeting with Pope Leo XIV scheduled for this afternoon Italy time, traveling with a 45-member Chicago delegation and amid hopes for a visit to Chicago’s West Side.
VATICAN CITY — Mayor Brandon Johnson pulled up to the Vatican Thursday, stepping into a moment that will play out behind closed doors.
He arrived for a private meeting with Pope Leo XIV scheduled for this afternoon local time in Italy. Johnson wore a black suit, a black tie, a white shirt, and a Chicago flag pin. He is in Rome with a 45-member delegation made up of Chicago officials and business leaders. and it remains unclear how long the meeting will last.
Ald. Jason Ervin, who is part of the delegation, said the visit is something many people in Chicago have been waiting for. “It should be great for our city, great for a lot of folks who need hope… And I believe that Pope Leo would provide the hope that people need to see.”
Ervin brought a T-shirt that read “God Bless the West Side.” He said he would love to see Pope Leo come to Chicago. specifically to neighborhoods on the West Side. “I want him to come to the West Side. We have one of the oldest basilicas in the city, Our Lady of Sorrows. So I want him to come to the West Side of Chicago. to Garfield Park and be a blessing to the people of the West Side.”.
The delegation included business leaders as well, traveling through Vatican traffic in a line of black vans. Restaurateur Phil Stefani. riding in the front passenger seat of one of the vans entering the location of the papal audience. said he was looking forward to speaking with the pope. He said he had met Leo before through work with a project at Borgo Laudato Si’, a historic papal retreat. Stefani said he is involved with fellow restaurateur Art Smith on that effort.
Brandon Johnson Pope Leo XIV Vatican Chicago delegation Jason Ervin West Side Garfield Park Our Lady of Sorrows Phil Stefani Art Smith Borgo Laudato Si papal visit
Why does he need to go to the Vatican like that, can’t he just do work here?
Chicago’s West Side needs hope, I get that, but a pope meeting isn’t gonna fix crime. Still kinda cool though, Our Lady of Sorrows is legit.
Wait so the pope is coming to Garfield Park now? I thought this was just a meeting and not some guaranteed visit, people keep saying different stuff on Facebook. Also why are business leaders with him? like is this a fundraiser or something?
I heard Pope Leo is basically like a tourist attraction manager and he’ll just show up where they tell him. The black vans thing looks like movie footage. If he actually comes to the West Side, great, but I’m still side-eyeing the whole “God Bless the West Side” shirt like that’s a real plan. Does anyone know how long the meeting is? because “this afternoon Italy time” feels super vague.