As Pope Leo XIV rode through Saint Peter’s Square July 30, he received a surprise straight from his Illinois roots — a personal-size pepperoni pizza from Aurelio’s, the iconic Chicago chain he’s loved since childhood. 

The 69-year-old pontiff, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost and now the first American pope, couldn’t hide his delight, according to an Aug. 1 New York Post report.

According to his brother John Prevost, the Pope “devoured” the pie, telling Chicago’s WGN that he ate every last bite of the six-inch pizza. 

The pizza pilgrimage began with Jayden Remias, a Catholic content creator from Ohio. 

“It started 30 days ago when I started a challenge to deliver a pizza to the pope,” Remias told WGN. 

He picked up a frozen pie from Aurelio’s in Chicago and handed it off to Madeline Daley of Cincinnati, who was headed to Rome.

Daley brought the final slice of the plan to life. Waving the pizza box and a sign reading, “We have Aurelio’s pizza,” she caught the Pope’s attention. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1rwUZQP20I

“When Pope Leo came around, he kept grabbing babies to bless them,” Daley told NBC News, laughing. “But as soon as he saw the pizza, he had babies in his hand, but he’s still saying, like, ‘Get me that pizza, I want that pizza.’”

She added, “Seeing the logo made him light up, and his smile was from ear to ear and he was extremely excited about it.”

As Pope Leo accepted the pie, he gave a big thumbs-up, acknowledging both the gift and the people who brought it so far.

Joe Aurelio, president and CEO of Aurelio’s Pizza, was moved. 

“Pope Leo has been a lifetime Aurelio’s fan and going to Aurelio’s Pizza in Homewood, Illinois, since the 1960s,” he said, according to the Post. “So it’s been part of his life and for him to recognize [the pizza] and actually stop there in the audience was amazing.”