The pope is making his first U.S. tour, and young people might have more to get excited about than with popes past.

Pope Francis is known for engaging closely with the public and for his more liberal stances on climate change, poverty and financial reform. (Video viaĀ Rome Reports)

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"Make a mess, but then also help to tidy it up. A mess which gives us a free heart, a mess which gives us solidarity, a mess which gives us hope,"Ā Pope FrancisĀ said in address to young people in Paraguay earlier this summer.

Some of his stances have cost him favorability with conservatives, according to a JulyĀ Gallup poll. But a more recent survey from theĀ Public Religion Research InstituteĀ shows the pope is more popular with young people than the church itself. (Video viaĀ C-SPAN)

His popularity is partly reflected in his place as the most retweeted world leader, according toĀ Twiplomacy, an organization that studies the Twitter use of governments and international organizations.

Religious leaders and writers have been wondering why and how the charismatic pope might attract young people to the Catholic Church since early in his papacy. (Video viaĀ Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation)

The perception that he's less punitive than other Catholic leaders could be helping. (Video viaĀ Vatican Television Center)

"Pope Francis [isn't] contradicting the church in any way. I don't think he's out to change church teaching. But what he wants to do is say, 'We've done a great job saying no, but let's do a better job of saying yes to things,'" faith writer Christopher White said during aĀ Huffington PostĀ interview.

The poped-out Jeep Wrangler he'll be sporting during his U.S. visit probably won't hurt his cool points either. (Video viaĀ CBS)

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