Bavaria has more analogues with the Southern U.S. than you would think . . . I lived there for awhile, and it's my belief that the average rural Bayerischer Kerl is just a good ol' boy in Lederhosen. Proud, a little loud, appearing a little uncouth to the city-dweller, but competent, kind, generous and good-hearted. They don't have pickup trucks, and they're Catholic instead of Baptist or Church of God, but fundamentally and essentially they are brothers under the skin.
His Holiness is the small town boy who went to the city and made good, but never forgot his roots.
:))) So technically, we could call him the Southern Pope and get away with it! Kewl!