Overview

• Over 30,000 people packed Rate Field on June 14 to watch Pope Leo XIV’s 7½-minute video message to a U.S. audience
• Cardinal Blase Cupich led a Mass following the address while Chicago Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky emceed musical and testimonial performances
• In his first appeal to young people in America, the pontiff emphasized hope, community and service rooted in faith
• Tickets sold out within days and briefly traded for more than $1,200 on secondary markets, showcasing local pride in the first American-born pope
• The event welcomed Catholics, non-Catholics and even Cubs fans, blending religious celebration with Chicago’s baseball culture