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One of his last Facebook posts, earlier this month, as a Chicagoan educated by Jesuits, was, “pope leo XIV is a sout’ sider my friendts. his cassock size is 4XIV.”

Since he’s a native Chicagoan, there were the obligatory yuks about deep dish communion and Malört.

"I'm still surprised they chose an American, to be honest," said Chicagoan Kerry, who is in Rome on her honeymoon.

And yet, around this city there's palpable excitement, particularly among Catholics, that the new pontiff is not only American - he's a South Side Chicagoan.

Trump is among the many American political figures applauding the historic appointment of the 69-year-old native Chicagoan to lead the Catholic Church.