CHICAGO — A birthday gift for Pope Leo has a place of honor in the Chicago high school he once visited.
Art from Italy arrived at Chicago’s Providence Catholic High School a few weeks ago. But before the package arrived in art teacher Denise Zlogar’s classroom, it arrived in the WGN mailroom from Rome. The contents packaged up not long after the world met Pope Leo, then it found a home where the Chicago-born pontiff has long been known as Bob Prevost.
WGN first met the Roman street artist Mauro Pallotta in 2014.
His work has honored the canonization of Pope John Paul II and John XXIII. But it was another painting that put Pallotta on the map. He mounted the piece called Super Pope on a building near the Vatican. The image went viral, even Pope Francis was a fan.
Pallotta’s muse inspired 28 murals, seven commissioned by Pope Francis himself.
Now, with a new pontiff to paint, it was only a matter of time before “Maupal,” as he’s known, would strike again.
“It was so detailed, everything in it was insanely detailed,” senior Sophia Harris said. “The fabric details you could see all the buttons, his cross swinging as he’s getting the tennis ball.”
Father John Nerkelis has known Pope Leo since high school. His excitement grew as the image was unfurled before him.
“My first thought was ‘Boy this is bigger than I thought it would be!’” he said. “It’s just powerful, it captures him.”
“My favorite part of it was the tennis ball transformed into a peace sign,” Zlogar said. “Because my interpretation of that is that Pope Leo is launching peace throughout the world.”
Peace is a central theme in Pallotta’s work. But in his eagerness to send his very first Pope Leo painting to the United States, he forgot to sign it.
The group elected tennis team captain Grier Milas to do the honors. It turned out to be a perfect match and the artist himself approved.
“I was really impressed that this is the original,” Zlogar said. “(There is only) one in the world and it’s here at Providence!”
And that’s where it will stay. It was recently unveiled in the school’s commons to cheers and applause.
“I think he’ll enjoy it. He played some tennis on one of his breaks, so I think he’ll smile and probably laugh out loud,” Merk said.
Pope leo turns 70 on Sunday, September 14.
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