North Carolina labor commissioner presents Pope Leo XIV with Hurricanes jersey, state honor

North Carolina Labor Commissioner Luke Farley presented Pope Leo XIV with a personalized Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup championship jersey and the Order of the Tar Heel during a meeting in Vatican City, the North Carolina Department of Labor announced July 1.

The custom jersey included the Stanley Cup badge and read “Pope Leo” on the back. The No. 14 was a nod to Pope Leo being the 14th pontiff to choose that name. The jersey commemorated the Carolina Hurricanes' Stanley Cup victory last month, their second championship in franchise history.

“North Carolina is proud to celebrate the Carolina Hurricanes for bringing the Stanley Cup home, and it was a special honor to present Pope Leo with a Hurricanes championship jersey commemorating this historic achievement,” Farley said in a statement released by the department. 

Hurricanes Holdings CEO Brian Fork added, "We were proud to bring the Stanley Cup home to Raleigh and are thrilled that Commissioner Farley had a chance to share a piece of North Carolina with Pope Leo by presenting him with a personalized Hurricanes jersey just a week after winning the Cup.”

Farley’s second gift, the Order of the Tar Heel, is one of North Carolina's highest civilian honors, recognizing individuals for distinguished service to the state. 

Farley said it was “an honor” to present the Order of the Tar Heel as "a symbol of North Carolina's gratitude for his lifelong example of service, faith, and leadership.”