Chicagoans can buy tickets to a celebration of Pope Leo XIV’s election beginning Friday, the Archdiocese of Chicago announced.
The celebration, set for June 14 at the White Sox’s Rate Field in Bridgeport, is open to all comers. Leo himself, a native of the Chicago area and the first American to lead the world’s Catholics in the church’s history, will not be at the event but will address “the young people of the world” in a video message, according to the archdiocese’s invitation.
Tickets are $5 and available through Ticketmaster beginning at 10 a.m. Friday. The program will include music, film, in-person testimonials and prayer.
The ballpark will open to attendees at 12:30 p.m. and the program, emceed by Chuck Swirsky, will begin at 2:30 p.m., according to the archdiocese. Cardinal Blase Cupich will celebrate Mass at 4 p.m.
“This celebration offers a unique opportunity for the people from Chicago and beyond to come together in shared pride for one of our own,” the archdiocese statement stated.
Born Robert Francis Prevost, the 69-year-old Augustinian missionary was raised in south suburban Dolton and earned his master’s in divinity from Chicago Theological Union. He is also a longtime White Sox fan, captured on video at one of the team’s World Series games in 2005. The footage later went viral.
