Pope Leo will speak to world's young people via video at Chicago event

Pope Leo XIV will speak directly to the global youth population in a video broadcast at an event next month in Chicago, the Archdiocese of Chicago announced Tuesday.

Leo will “offer a special video message to the young people of the world" during the event on June 14 at Rate Field, home to the Chicago White Sox, according to the announcement.

The event, which was first announced earlier this month, was described as a celebration of Leo’s election. The event will feature music, film and in-person testimonials about Leo, a longtime White Sox fan who grew up in the Chicago area. He is the first American pope.

The gates will open at 12:30 p.m., and the program is set to begin at 2:30 p.m. A Catholic Mass will take place at 4 p.m.

“Pope Leo XIV’s message of peace, unity and the key to a meaningful life have touched hearts across the globe,” the archdiocese said in a statement earlier this month.

“This celebration is an extraordinary opportunity for people from the city and beyond to come together in shared pride for one of our own,” the earlier statement continued.