A Million Young Pilgrims in Jubilee 2025!
Rome, Aug 3 (EFE).– By Claudia Sacristán
Pope Leo XIV brought the Youth Jubilee to a close on Sunday before a crowd of more than a million young pilgrims at Rome’s Tor Vergata with a message of hope, urging youth to “aspire to great things” and reminding them that “another world is possible.”
He expressed solidarity with the youth of the conflict-ridden Gaza and Ukraine.
“Aspire to great things, to holiness, wherever you are. Do not settle for less. You will then see the light of the Gospel growing every day, in you and around you,” he urged during his homily, delivered from a large stage set up at the event site.
The gathering was the largest of Pope Leo’s still-brief pontificate, with more than a million participants, according to local authorities.
Hundreds of thousands of young people from across the globe had camped overnight in the fields of Tor Vergata, bundled in blankets or sleeping bags, many resting their heads on backpacks and suitcases as they awaited the Mass.
In his homily, the pope urged the youth not to settle for a life defined by materialism and consumerism.
“Buying, hoarding and consuming are not enough. We need to lift our eyes, to look upwards, to the ‘things that are above…,” he said.
A Mass Gathering of Faith
This Eucharist, celebrated at the same site chosen by John Paul II for the historic 2000 World Youth Day, marked the culmination of a week of events that drew pilgrims from 146 countries. The 27,000 Spaniards in attendance formed the second-largest national group, after Italians.
One of the standout moments occurred Friday, when the ancient Circus Maximus was transformed into a massive open-air confessional.
However, Pope Leo’s most powerful demonstration of connection came Saturday afternoon when over a million pilgrims flooded Tor Vergata as the events shifted to the outskirts of Rome.
Messages of Peace and Purpose
Throughout the weekend, Pope Leo offered guidance to the younger generation, urging them to resist the “commercial logic” of social media and to build genuine relationships.
He also called on them to become “missionaries of peace” and work toward a “more humane world.”
The most impassioned and political moment came Sunday, just before the Angelus prayer, when he addressed the suffering of young people in conflict zones.
“We are with the young people of Gaza. We are with the young people of Ukraine, with those of every land bloodied by war,” he said, prompting applause from the crowd.
“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.”
Pilgrims Under the Stars
Thousands of young people began arriving on foot at Tor Vergata on Saturday afternoon, carrying backpacks, sleeping bags, and portable chargers to stay connected during the two-day gathering.
Temperatures remained mild overnight, though a brief rain shower surprised many, forcing them to improvise shelters.
“We brought little, but we found some friends who helped us and gave us a place to sleep. The rain woke us up,” said José, a pilgrim from Honduras.
Many awoke Sunday to the sound of helicopters as the pope returned to Tor Vergata to close the event.
Carrying Francis’ Legacy
The 2025 Holy Year, held every 25 years in the Catholic Church, was inaugurated by the late Pope Francis. But it is his successor, Pope Leo, who has led its continuation.
Many young people had hoped to meet Francis, beloved by Catholic youth, and his memory hovered over the celebrations.
Aware of this, Pope Leo paid tribute to his predecessor by quoting one of Francis’ most memorable lines in his homily.
“Do not be alarmed if we feel thirsty, restless, incomplete, yearning for meaning. We are not sick, we are alive!”
Pope Leo then returned to the Vatican, bringing to a close days filled with faith, celebration, and reflection.
Before departing, he invited all present to the next World Youth Day, set to take place in Seoul in 2027. EFE csv-sk
