Pope Leo XIV made a surprise appearance in St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday evening to greet the thousands of participants at the welcoming Mass for the Jubilee of Youth.
After touring the square, the Holy Father addressed the youth in Italian, Spanish, and English from the main altar. “‘Buona sera, buenas tardes,’ good evening,” Leo XIV said, causing the crowd to roar.
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In English, the pope recalled Jesus’ words: “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world” (Mt 5:13:16).
“And today, your voices, your enthusiasm, your cries; are all for Jesus Christ, and you will be heard until the ends of the earth,” he proceeded, switching to Spanish. “Today begins a few days, a journey: the Jubilee of Hope, and the world needs messages of hope. You are this message, and you must continue to give hope to everyone,” he added.
“Let us hope that all of you will always be a sign of hope for the whole world,” said the Holy Father, this time speaking in Italian.
“Today we are beginning, and in the coming days we will have the opportunity to be a force that will give God’s grace, that will be [a source of] hope, and that will give light to the city of Rome and to the entire world,” he stated in his extemporaneous remarks.
Leo XIV then asked the young people to walk together “with our faith in Jesus Christ.” From St. Peter’s Square, he also prayed for peace for the entire world: “Our cry must also be for peace in the world. Let us all say: We want peace in the world! We want peace in the world! Let us pray for peace.”
“May we be a witness to the peace of Jesus Christ, of reconciliation, of this light of the world that we are all seeking,” the Holy Father added, again in Spanish. Finally, he prayed together with the thousands of young people and imparted his blessing.
“We’ll see you! We’ll meet at Tor Vergata! Have a good week!” the pope said in parting, referring to the prayer vigil he will hold with young people on the evening of Aug. 2 and the final Mass for the Jubilee of Youth, which he will celebrate Aug. 3.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
