From Knoxville to Rome: Pope Leo XIV Receives Volunteer Spirit

Tennessee Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton had a meeting last week that blended Southern football pride with Vatican tradition. While in Rome, Sexton met with Pope Leo XIV and brought along a very Tennessee gift—a personalized Volunteers football jersey. He later shared photos of the encounter on X, calling it “an honor to meet and speak with Pope Leo XIV” and adding the tag #EverywhereUT. The images of the Pope smiling with the bright orange jersey quickly drew attention back home, where fans and political observers alike found humor in the unlikely crossover of Catholic leadership and SEC sports.

The gift carried extra meaning because Pope Leo XIV himself is still new to the role. Born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago, he was elected in May 2025, becoming the first American ever to lead the Catholic Church. A member of the Augustinian order, he spent much of his ministry in Peru before Pope Francis tapped him to oversee bishops worldwide. When the College of Cardinals chose him earlier this year, he took the name Leo XIV, paying homage to Leo XIII, remembered for his groundbreaking work on labor rights and social justice. At 69 years old, Pope Leo brings with him both Midwestern roots and Latin American pastoral experience, a combination that many believe will shape a distinctly American yet globally minded papacy.

Since his election, Leo XIV has already made history. His first Mass as pope drew tens of thousands to St. Peter’s Square, and his formal installation ceremony later in May drew even more. In early September, he canonized Carlo Acutis—the first millennial saint—cementing his reputation as a leader willing to embrace the challenges and culture of the digital era. He has also been noted for reviving certain traditional rituals while striking a personal tone in public appearances, where he comes across as approachable, even playful. Stories of his lifelong devotion to the Chicago White Sox and the Bears, along with his love of word games, have helped reinforce the image of a pope who is both relatable and steeped in tradition.

That made Sexton’s gift especially fitting. Though rooted in Tennessee sports pride, the jersey was also a nod to Leo XIV’s American identity, a lighthearted bridge between local culture and global faith. For the Volunteers, it was proof that their orange truly reaches everywhere, even the Vatican. For the Pope, it was another symbol of how his papacy is already connecting with ordinary people in unusual, very human ways. Whether or not the pontiff ever dons the jersey, the moment added a fresh chapter to the story of the first American pope—one that shows how tradition and everyday culture can meet in unexpected but memorable fashion.