Pope Leo XIV brought together hundreds of thousands of young Catholics from around the world for the weekend highlight of Vatican’s 2025 Holy Year. The event, which marked his first big encounter with the next generation of Catholics, was an evening vigil, outdoor slumber party, and morning Mass celebrated by the Pope.
The gathering at Rome’s outskirts saw pilgrims set up campsites as misting trucks and water cannons cooled them down in the 85F temperatures. The young people had been preparing for this moment for weeks, traveling from around the world to participate in a centuries-old pilgrimage to the seat of Catholicism.
During his visit, Pope Leo XIV met with a group of pilgrims who lost their young woman, Pascale Rafic, and extended his condolences. However, despite initial concerns about the strain on Rome’s public transport system, many Romans have welcomed the enthusiasm and energy of the youngsters.
Premier Giorgia Meloni praised the “extraordinary festival of faith, joy and hope” that the young people had created, while a local hairdresser, Rina Verdone, said she was happy to make extra sacrifices for the sake of the event. The gathering has been likened to World Youth Day, which St. John Paul II inaugurated in 2000.
The event is expected to be one of the largest pilgrimages of the Holy Year, with an estimated 1 million young people attending. It marks a significant moment in Pope Leo XIV’s tenure as he connects with the next generation of Catholics.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/holy-year-youth-festival-pope-leo-xiv-young-catholics