Rome Street Art Features Pope Leo XIV as a Chicago Bulls Player in a Mural by TVBoy, Drawing Parallels to Michael Jordan

CHICAGO (WLS) — Pope Leo XIV is sporting some Chitown swag in a new mural.

A street artist painted the pope wearing garb similar to the Chicago Bulls uniforms on a wall in Rome.

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Tucked along the winding streets of Rome, adorned on an ancient wall near Piazza Navona, sits Pope Leo XIV in his basketball era.

It is the creation of the elusive street artist from Italy known as “TVBoy,” who envisioned blending Chicago’s two most famous international icons.

“I wanted to capture that moment since he’s the first American pope, and they wanted to establish a connection with the Chicago Bulls,” TVBoy explained. “In Italy, we all admire Michael Jordan, and I feel that this pope is akin to Michael Jordan…”

The pope was depicted in the likeness of the basketball legend, with the traditional white papal robe replaced by Bulls red. In the renowned pose, he holds a basketball sporting the inscription “Chicago’s Pope” under his arm.

TVBoy took creative liberties in the street mural celebrating Rome’s most famous resident.

“Everybody was doing talk about the American pope,” TVBoy said. “I wanted to go beyond and reflect the city that inspired him, the city in which he grew up.”

Pope Leo Jordan, as he’s sort of meant to look, isn’t TVBoy’s first foray into depicting religious leaders as superheroes. He’s painted Pope Francis as Superman and has dabbled with more controversial political paintings.

Sometimes called the “Italian Banksy,” TVBoy says his seemingly spontaneous street murals often don’t last long.

“When I started there was always stopped by the police, and nowadays I’m supported by people asking me for a selfie or taking it to sites,” TVBoy said. “It has changed the way that people receive and react to the street, that once it was vandalized and now it’s recognize it as a beautiful and like contemporary.”

The well-documented Holiest White Sox fan painted as the star most synonymous with Chicago sports has been a hit with locals and tourists alike.

Now the question is, will Pope Leo’s popularity compare to MJ in his heyday?

TVBoy hopes he will be the Michael Jordan of the Catholic Church.

“I hope so, yes,” TVBoy said. “He will be remembered, as for sure is the first one, the first American pope. But I hope he will be remembered as something revolutionary.”