The city of ValenciaIn the first significant youth event of his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV shocked tens of thousands of young Catholics on Tuesday by showing up out of the blue at a welcoming ceremony for the Holy Year. The children were thrilled and welcomed like rock stars.
At the conclusion of an evening Mass that began the Jubilee of Youth, a weeklong celebration for young Catholics, Leo appeared in St. Peter’s Square in his popemobile. Leo circled the square and up and down the street that led to it, to the startled cheers and chants of the estimated 120,000 youthful pilgrims who had crowded the square.
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From his position on the popemobile, Leo greeted the sea of shouting, flag-waving young people from all over the world with a golden glow as the sun sank, and he smiled, waved, and seemed to relish the outpouring of enthusiasm for twenty minutes.
He gave the young pilgrims a quick spontaneous greeting and blessing from the altar, telling them that they were the light, hope, and peace that the world needed right now.
Messages of hope are needed in the globe. In a blend of Spanish, English, and Italian, he stated, “You are this message, and must give hope to everyone.” We desire international peace. We desire world peace!
It had not been anticipated that Leo, the first American pope, would meet with the young pilgrims collectively until the weekend, when he was scheduled to lead Mass on Sunday and a vigil on Saturday as part of the Jubilee week’s high point.
Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the Italian archbishop who oversaw the Holy Year, performed Tuesday’s Mass. However, it was he who encouraged the children to stay in the square until the very end, as the pope had a surprise in store for us.
In response, the audience uttered the well-known catchphrase from Catholic youth events: “This is the pope’s youth.”
Rome is a hive of Catholic young people.
Teenage Catholic scouts, church groups, and Catholic school groups have flooded downtown Rome this week with vivacious masses of singing and dancing people. By the weekend, the crowds are predicted to reach 500,000.
The atmosphere was reminiscent of a smaller version of World Youth Day, the Catholic Woodstock festival that takes place every three years and was started by St. John Paul II and has been continued by all popes thereafter.
For the estimated 32 million people taking part in the Vatican’s 2025 Holy Year celebrations, Tuesday started with groups of Catholic influencers, priests, nuns, and regular faithful who use their social media presence to preach and teach the faith, entering through the basilica’s Holy Door.
Influencer-led audience
Earlier on Tuesday, Francis met with a few of the personalities and expressed gratitude for sharing the religion through their digital channels. However, he urged them not to fall for fake news and the flimsiness of online interactions, and warned them against sacrificing real connections in their quest for clicks and followers.
In a lecture that demonstrated his fluency in multiple languages, Leo stated that it is not just about producing material but also about fostering an encounter between hearts. Be communicators who are able to dismantle the rationale behind polarization, individualism, and egocentrism.
He emphasized that each of us has a responsibility to make sure that this culture stays human. Our goal, together with yours, is to foster a culture of Christian humanism by working together in what Jesus referred to as the “only networks that really matter”—the networks of God, friendship, and love.
Pablo Licheri, the creator of the Catholic Mass Times app, which has received two million downloads and lists the locations and times of Catholic liturgies worldwide, said he has been inspired by Leo’s message of solidarity as well as the fervor of young Catholics like him who have flocked to Rome.
After Tuesday’s Mass, he remarked, “I was particularly moved to meet so many fellow Catholic influencers in person and to pray with others who share the same passion for spreading the joy of God’s love.”
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