Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has hailed Pope Leo XIV as a formidable global partner in advancing social justice, migration, and reparations following their meeting at the Vatican.

Johnson emphasized that their shared Chicago roots and common priorities could significantly bolster efforts to safeguard vulnerable communities worldwide.

"As the mayor of Chicago, we are incredibly elated and proud of him," Johnson said Friday, a day after his private audience with the American pontiff. The mayor expressed comfort in knowing that someone from Chicago "can speak to justice" and champion "the most vulnerable among us."

Johnson, a first-term progressive Democrat leading the third-largest U.S. city, traveled to Rome with a delegation of approximately 50 local officials, attracting considerable media attention.…