Pope Leo addressed more than one million pilgrims at an outdoor Mass in Rome on Sunday morning. The pontiff expressed gratitude for the young people attending the Jubilee. He also looked ahead to the next World Youth Day, scheduled for Aug. 3-8, 2027, in Seoul, South Korea.
The pontiff offered condolences to the families of Maria, a Spaniard, and Pascale, an Egyptian, two young pilgrims who died during their visit to Rome after sudden health emergencies. “Sympathies for Maria and Pascale,” he said.
Pope Leo addressed young people in areas of conflict. “We are with the young people of Gaza. We are with the young people of Ukraine, with those of every land bloodied by war. My young brothers and sisters, you are the sign that a different world is possible, a world of fraternity and friendship, where conflicts are not resolved with weapons but with dialogue,” he said.
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The massive crowd gathered southeast of Rome over the weekend for a Jubilee celebration that is part of the Holy Year. The event included a Saturday night vigil with many of those in attendance spending the night in the field.
For the past week, groups of young people in color-coordinated shirts could be seen throughout Rome, praying, singing and celebrating their faith in the city’s historic piazzas. The festivities included Christian rock concerts, inspirational talks and a unique opportunity for confession at Circus Maximus, where 1,000 priests heard confessions in a dozen languages.
The Jubilee, which takes place once every 25 years, is expected to draw as many as 32 million pilgrims to the Vatican throughout the Holy Year.
“It’s something spiritual that you can experience only every 25 years,” Francisco Michel, a pilgrim from Mexico, told The Associated Press. “As a young person, having the chance to live this meeting with the pope, I feel it is a spiritual growth.”
