'Divine trolling': Pope schedules Chicago mass on the same day as Trump's military parade
Pope Leo XIV waves on the day he holds a general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Remo Casilli
As President Donald Trump prepares to celebrate the Army's birthday with a military parade in Washington, D.C., on June 13, Pope Leo XIV will deliver a special message to young people from the heart of Chicago on the same day, ABC7 Chicago reported Thursday.
The large-scale celebration is set for Saturday, June 14 at Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, where the pope will issue a video message. This marks the pope’s first public greeting to the city since his election earlier this month.
The event will include live music, film presentations, personal testimonies, and communal prayer.
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A centerpiece of the gathering will be the premiere of a special video message from Pope Leo XIV addressed to the youth of the world. The Archdiocese of Chicago says the message will be unveiled during the celebration before being shared globally.
Cardinal Blase J. Cupich will preside over the Mass, and longtime Chicago Bulls announcer Chuck Swirsky will serve as master of ceremonies.
With major national and global attention focused on the day’s events, the pope’s appearance is expected to draw thousands to Chicago and mark a rare moment of spiritual focus amid a politically charged weekend.
June 14 also marks Trump’s birthday, and critics have accused him of organizing the military parade to coincide with his personal celebration.
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In response to the announcement, social media users jokingly suggested that the pope is attempting to "upstage" Trump. Pope Leo's opposition to several of Trump's policies is well-documented.
An account bearing the pope’s name on social media frequently voiced criticism of the Trump administration — particularly targeting Vice President J.D. Vance — in the period leading up to his election to the papacy.
Journalist Ben Collins of The Onion wrote on the social platform Bluesky: "Pope actively counterprogramming Donald Trump's birthday parade on the same day. Some real WCW Nitro s---, I love it."
"The pope is upstaging Trump 😂 On June 14, while DJT's Soviet-style military parade is going on for his birthday, Leo XIV will speak directly to the global youth population in a video broadcast at a Mass in his honor at the White Sox ballpark in Chicago," wrote a user.
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"So…. Pope Leo XIV is going to have his first event on June 14th in Chicago. The same day as Trump’ stupid military parade. Pope Leo Divine Trolling?" said another user on BlueSky.
