Pope Leo XIV Greeted 7,000 Fans Before Villanova and Notre Dame Season Opener in Rome

POLICY WIRE — Rome, Italy — Pope Leo XIV welcomed the basketball squads from Villanova and Notre Dame, alongside thousands of American supporters, on Saturday within the Vatican. The gathering occurred just before the two Catholic institutions kick off their competitive season later this week.

Roughly 7,000 attendees entered the Paul VI Hall for the public audience. This event followed a special private Mass held earlier in St. Peter’s Basilica.

The pope is a well-known sports enthusiast, particularly in tennis. He emphasized that athletic participation fosters solidarity, brotherhood, and peace.

According to Vatican News, Leo noted that sports serve as a concrete method for uniting people. He argued that such cooperation is increasingly vital in an era where technology often creates isolation.

The teams are in Rome for the U.S. college basketball season opener on Sunday, an event branded as the Eternal City Tip-Off. The doubleheader will be played at the Palazzo Dello Sport, an 11,000-seat venue located about a 30-minute drive from the Vatican.

This event was established to honor the U.S.-born pontiff, who earned a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Villanova in 1977. Leo is currently in recovery from lung cancer surgery.

He addressed the rivalry between the two schools with humor during the audience. Leo remarked that while he heard the chant “Go Irish” growing up in Chicago, he is an alumnus of Villanova.

The Pope doesn’t take sides. Prevost has another opinion, but we won’t do that now, he joked, according to Vatican News.

Leo encouraged the athletes and their families to view competition as a path toward saintliness.

“No one is born a champion, just as no one is born a saint,” he stated.

He warned against allowing rivalries to become toxic. The pope expressed hope that fans would build genuine connections while cheering, even if passionately.

I hope, therefore, that despite the competitive nature of college basketball, there will be opportunities for the players and the fans of both teams to get to know each other in your days here in Rome, he said.

Notre Dame President Rev. Robert Dowd acknowledged a potential home-field advantage for Villanova given the pope’s alumni status. In a Saturday interview, he described the opportunity to gather both teams and their fanbases in Rome as amazing.

I know in a particular way the pope talks about the importance of bridge building, and I’m sure he’ll be a bridge builder when we play each other, Dowd said.

Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson Perez led a private Mass for traveling supporters in St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday morning. He asked the congregation to applaud the players. The English-language service featured the full trappings of a papal Mass and was broadcast live by Vatican Media.

During a recent trip to France, Leo commented on the demographic of the upcoming crowd aboard the papal plane. He noted that he was told 90% of the attendees are VillNova supporters and 10% are from Notre Dame.

The voice of the people of God will be very strong on the Villanova side, Leo said.

The pontiff is also a dedicated Chicago White Sox fan. Villanova chaplain Rev. Rob Hagan noted that Leo is a true Villanovan who frequently attended games at the Palestra, an arena nicknamed the Cathedral of College Basketball.

Saturday’s audience and Sunday’s games align with All Saints’ Day, a significant Catholic holiday.

“Our true goal, beyond emerging victorious in any one event, is to win the prize of everlasting life,” Leo said.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)