Pope Leo XIV shared a message of hope with his hometown of Chicago as he encouraged the crowd to make a difference in the world.The American pope made a virtual appearance on Saturday at Rate Field, the South Side ballpark home to the Chicago White Sox,

Chicago celebrates first American Pope, Leo XIV, at a sold-out Mass led by Cardinal Cupich, with local officials recommending public transport due to crowds.

Pope Leo XIV expressed “great concern” on June 14 as the conflict between Israel and Iran deteriorated seriously following Israeli airstrikes on Iran Thursday evening, Iran’s retaliatory drone and missile barrage Friday, and continued armed exchanges between the two sides over the next 24 hours.

According to Gates Jr., Pope Leo is also related to Boucher de Grandpre, who fought against the British during the Revolutionary War with the Louisiana militia, as well as Antonio José de Sucre, who opposed Spanish forces during the Battle of Ayacucho.

In the moment, the man who will go on to become the most recognizable religious leader in the world looks nervous. He looks as though even his considerable faith can be tested by the whims of his favorite baseball team.