The literal pope rocked a Villanova hat this week, repping his alma mater
And you can get the look for under $20.
In what we can pretty confidently call a first, the pope was seen wearing a Villanova baseball cap at the Vatican.
It was part of a meeting between Pope Leo XIV and the National Italian American Foundation on Wednesday. The Italian heritage group gifted Pope Leo the hat, and he quickly swapped it out from his traditional zucchetto (the official name for those holy skullcaps).
Before taking on his new title, the recently named pontiff was known as Robert Francis Prevost from Chicago, a Villanova University graduate in the Class of 1977. He went by “Bob” in his college days and earned a bachelor of science in mathematics.
And, yes, that means the pope is a confirmed Wildcats basketball fan.
When the news of an American-born pope broke last month, it sparked a wave of excitement from nearly anyone and everyone who shared a common thread with the Holy Father. Villanova’s campus was buzzing, Chicago was celebrating, even Philly bars were pouring citywides pairing freshly distributed Malört with Windy City-brewed lagers.
At the pope’s meeting Wednesday with one of the largest associations representing Italian Americans in the United States, he grinned as the group’s president gave him the white cap with the blue embroidered signature V. He wore it briefly before switching back to his white zucchetto.
A closer inspection suggests it’s a version of the 47 Brand adjustable cap, which retails on the university’s website for $16.00 (a bargain to match the pope, honestly). The website-listed version of the cap has a small brand logo stitched in black, while the pope’s version has the same logo in the corner, but stitched in white.
Pope Leo XIV addressed the National Italian American Foundation, praising the group’s commitment to education, history, and philanthropy. He also spoke about his own Italian American heritage, with his paternal grandfather having immigrated to the United States from Sicily.
“A hallmark of many who emigrated to the United States from Italy was their Catholic faith, with its rich traditions of popular piety and devotions that they continued to practice in their new nation,” he told the group. “This faith sustained them in difficult moments, even as they arrived with a sense of hope for a prosperous future in their new country.”
He added: “I pray that each of you and your families will always cherish the rich spiritual and cultural legacy that you have inherited from those who have gone before you.”