VATICAN CITY — In a move that drew criticism of bias toward his hometown teams, Pope Leo XIV officially canonized the 1996-98 Chicago Bulls.

The legendary NBA championship team that has long been discussed as arguably the greatest of all time received an honor far beyond that of any other sports team, as the pontiff venerated the entire roster.

"It will no longer be ‘Air Jordan,' but ‘Saint Jordan,'" the pope said in his proclamation at the Vatican. "For the truly amazing accomplishments of MJ, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and the other members of the team, we now enshrine them among the greatest heroes in the annals of the Catholic Church. Blessed be the 1996-98 Bulls."

Though many were caught off guard by the canonization, Vatican insiders said it was a foregone conclusion. "They we

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