Chicago Mayor Invites Pope Leo XIV to 2027 Grant Park Mass

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson met privately with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday, extending a formal invitation for the pontiff to celebrate Mass in the city’s Grant Park in 2027. The mayor, leading a delegation of approximately 50 civic, business, religious, and labor leaders from Chicago, presented the pope with a Key to the City and a collection of gifts tied to his hometown.

The pope, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood and raised in suburban Dolton, received sports memorabilia from several Chicago teams, a jar of local giardiniera, a Chicago flag, and copies of his parents’ DePaul University diplomas. Attendees noted the pope made specific references to the city, inquiring about the Chicago Bears and local streets. Following the private meeting in the Vatican Apostolic Library, the full delegation joined the pope for a larger gathering that included a multi-faith prayer.

In a subsequent interview, Mayor Johnson characterized the pope as a powerful global ally on issues of social justice, migration, and reparations. He said the discussion highlighted alignment between the city’s policy agenda and the pope’s recent focus on the legacy of...