Pope Leo Sells Out US Event Clashing With Parade on Trump's Birthday
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Pope Leo XIV has helped sell out a stadium show in Chicago with a promised virtual appearance—scheduled for the same day as a major military parade in Washington, D.C.
Within the first 15 minutes of ticket availability, more than 9,000 people requested seats for the Chicago gathering. By the end of the first day, that number had climbed to 20,000. As of Friday, the $5 tickets were completely sold out. The event will be streamed live online, although CatholicTV has not confirmed whether it will air the broadcast.
Why It Matters
Pope Leo's expected involvement in the Chicago event, which will be streamed online, will draw huge interest and will divide some attention away from the Trump-backed military parade the same day, the president's birthday.
The pope, in his first address to world diplomats, said the dignity of migrants had to be respected, potentially putting himself on a collision course with the Trump administration, which has stepped up enforcement of immigration law, arguing voters' concerns on the topic have long been ignored.
From left: Donald Trump attends a meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., June 5, 2025; and Pope Leo XIV leaves after his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, May...
From left: Donald Trump attends a meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., June 5, 2025; and Pope Leo XIV leaves after his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, May 28, 2025. More
AP
What To Know
The pontiff is set to appear on big screens at Rate Field, home of Major League Baseball's Chicago White Sox, on June 14.
"Although Pope Leo XIV will not be present in Chicago for the event, he has announced that he will be participating remotely from Rome, with a video message to be played at the gathering," the Vatican's news service said in a June 2 release promoting the event.
That same date, President Donald Trump's birthday, Washington D.C. will play host to a major military parade celebrating the U.S. Army's 250th birthday.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport will be forced to shut down for several hours on June 14 to accommodate the parade, affecting more than 100 flights and thousands of passengers, according to The Washington Post.
The New York Times reports the parade will feature 28 M1A1 Abrams tanks (each weighing 70 tons), 28 Stryker armored personnel carriers, more than 100 other military vehicles, 6,700 soldiers, 50 helicopters, 34 horses, two mules, and one dog.
Notably, the Army did not hold a parade for its bicentennial in 1975.
While the pontiff's message will be delivered from Rome, commentators noted the symbolism in the timing. "A bit of counterprogramming there," said MSNBC's Jonathan Lemire. "But I will say, when the Pope does come for real in the flesh—Chicago. Millions of people."
John Heilemann, speaking alongside Lemire, added: "The counterprogramming point remains, Lemire, because the truth is—for America and Trump's military parade in Washington, if you don't live in Washington, that's a television spectacle. If you don't live in Chicago, the Pope's doing a video mass there at Rate Field. It's the same thing for those of us who live in New York. They're both just TV shows. And, you know, that's the definition of counterprogramming."
The parade in Washington, meanwhile, is being promoted as a patriotic tribute to the U.S. Army's 250th birthday. A May 21 statement from the event organizers said it aims to "showcase the Army's modern capabilities" and "inspire a new generation to embrace the spirit of service, resilience, and leadership that defines the United States."
Critics say the event is excessive and politically charged. "You know, there are so many reasons that you might want to push back on this military parade. All of them have been discussed before. There's a very kind of Kim Jong Un vibe to it," Heilemann told Lemire.
"It's obviously going to be a kind of a nightmare, logistics-wise, for Washington, D.C. The streets are going to get all torn up. They're going to be filling in potholes from the damage that gets done for months to come."
Trump and Pope Leo's Clash Over Immigration
Since becoming the pontiff, Pope Leo has clashed with Trump—most notably over immigration policy.
In one of his first major addresses as pope, U.S.-born Pope Leo XIV signaled a clear break from Trump's immigration stance, urging respect for migrants' dignity and compassion for those seeking a better life abroad.
Speaking to diplomats at The Vatican, Leo reflected on his own roots as a descendant of immigrants and a former missionary in Peru. "My own story is that of a citizen, the descendant of immigrants, who in turn chose to emigrate," he said, adding that all people—"citizens and immigrants alike"—are equally worthy of dignity and protection.
Leo's message contrasts sharply with Trump's vow to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. The late Pope Francis also clashed with Trump over immigration, once saying the president was "not Christian" for wanting to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Leo's comments suggest that the Church under his leadership will continue to advocate for migrant rights. Before his election, Leo—then-Cardinal Robert Prevost—had pushed back on U.S. Vice President JD Vance's claim that Catholic theology prioritized caring for one's own over others, a statement Pope Leo reportedly disagreed with.
In May, Pope Leo's brother John Prevost told The New York Times that his brother was "not happy" with Trump's immigration policy, adding that he "won't just sit back."
"I know he's not happy with what's going on with immigration. I know that for a fact. How far he'll go with it is only one's guess, but he won't just sit back. I don't think he'll be the silent one," John Prevost said.
What Happens Next
Gates for the Chicago event will open at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 14, with the program set to begin at 2:30 p.m. The day will conclude with a Holy Mass at 4 p.m., led by Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago.
Tickets are still available for President Trump's parade.
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