His Holiness addressed the representatives of the world of cinema at the Vatican to champion movies as "a popular art in the noblest sense."

Pope Leo XIV welcomed a group of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Cate Blanchett, Greta Gerwig, Chris Pine, Viggo Mortensen and more, to the Vatican Saturday as part of a larger celebration of filmmaking.

But left unspoken at a Vatican meeting with film stars were the deep divisions over issues like abortion and homosexuality.

Spike Lee couldn't let his visit to the Vatican pass without presenting noted sports fan Pope Leo XIV with a New York Knicks jersey.

EXCLUSIVE: Pope Leo XIV came to become head of the Catholic Church by way of Chicago. You’d expect him to be well versed in the ’85 Bears 4-6 defense, or the triangle offense of Michael Jordan’s Bulls.

Pope Leo XIV welcomed actors and filmmakers from across the globe to discuss the intersection of art and faith at the Vatican on Saturday, and Oscar winner Spike Lee came prepared.

Smith Cameron, Joanna Hogg, Gaspar Noe, Albert Serra, and Bertrand Bonello, the pope spoke of movie-making in genuinely eloquent terms, calling the art “hope in motion,” and praising it as a fundamentally collaborative process.

The Vatican officially rejected the Jesus apparitions reported in , France, during the 1970s. The supernatural claims have been declared false after decades.