The question of whether the pope has the capacity to connect with the crowds was largely put to rest this past week as Leo received an enthusiastic welcome from a million young people.

ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday told more than a million Catholic youths at a closing Mass for a weeklong encounter with the next generation of faithful that they are “the sign that a different world is possible” where conflicts can be resolved with dialogue, not weapons.

Young people from 146 countries celebrated with Pope Leo XIV at the concluding Mass of the World Youth Jubilee at Rome's University of Tor Vergata on Sunday. The Vatican put the number of youths attending the event at more than a million,