| In | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Years active | 1950s-present |
| Territory | North side of Chicago |
| Ethnicity | Mostly white, some latinos and blacks |
| Membership | unknown |
| Allies | Folk Nation, Crips, Nortenos, TAP Boyz, Wah Ching, Simon City Royals |
| Rivals | People Nation, Bloods, Almighty Gaylords, Latin Kings, Black P. Stones |
Contents |
The Popes, also now known as the Insane Popes and originally the Almighty Popes, are a Chicago street gang, formed in the late 1950s on the north side of the city.
By the mid 1970s the Popes main membership consisted of many Greeks from the Albany Park/Lincoln Square neighborhood, and German, Irish, and Scandinavians in the Portage Park, Jefferson Park, and Mayfair neighborhoods. At their peak in the mid-1960s to early 1970s, they had 300-500 members.
In the mid 1970s, the Pope's leader, Larry "Larkin" Morris, started a new Popes branch on the south side.
In 1975, Larkin was killed by members of the Almighty Gaylords. The north side Insane Popes formed even stronger alliance with the Simon City Royals, and called this "first cousin" relationship Royal /Pope /Nation (RPN). The Royals joined Folk Nation and the Insane Popes eventually did also. However, the south side branch, who hated the Satan Disciples and Two Six gangs who were also Folk members, became a renegade faction, even going so far as to join the rival People Nation collective.
Today the north side Popes main rivals are the Latin Kings and the south side Popes main rivals are the Satan Disciples. Today there are about 20 active members of the north side Insane Popes.
The North Side Popes remain allied with the Folk Nation, while the south side Popes remain allied with the People Nation. South side Popes wear Chicago White Sox apparel. North side Popes wear baby-blue and black, showing allegiance to other Folks gangs (these were Pope colors from the start), particularly the Simon City Royals with whom they retain close ties although the official unity of Royal/Pope/Nation (RPN) has been dissolved.