CHICAGO - It’s not every day that a pizza from the Chicago suburbs winds up in the hands of the Pope. But that’s exactly what happened when two determined fans of Aurelio’s Pizza delivered a pie from the iconic Homewood location to Pope Francis himself in Vatican City.

The viral moment began with Jaden of Ohio and his friend Madeleine, who made it their mission to bring Chicago’s beloved "za" overseas.

The duo picked up a pie, packed it in dry ice, and hand-delivered it to the Pontiff during an event for youth and digital missionaries in Rome. The Pope, recognizing the familiar Aurelio’s shield, reportedly had his security detail retrieve the pizza right from the crowd.

A thumbs-up and smile soon followed.

From Father Bob to Pope Francis

The backstory:

This wasn’t Pope Francis’ fir

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