Camille Naredo

Young faithful attend an open-air mass in the Tor Vergata district of Rome, as part of Jubilee of Youth, on August 3, 2025. Filippo Monteforte, AFP

Young faithfuls attend an open-air mass in the Tor Vergata district of Rome, as part of Jubilee of Youth, on August 3, 2025. Pope Leo XIV presided over a final mass in Rome for over one million young people, the culmination of a youth pilgrimage that has drawn Catholics from across the world. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)

Article (news)

Jubilee of Youth

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1754215396390AFP__20250803__68MF76W__v1__MidRes__ItalyVaticanReligionPopeJubilee.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Young faithful attend an open-air mass in the Tor Vergata district of Rome, as part of Jubilee of Youth, on August 3, 2025. Filippo Monteforte, AFP"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Young faithful attend an open-air mass in the Tor Vergata district of Rome, as part of Jubilee of Youth, on August 3, 2025. <em>Filippo Monteforte, AFP</em></span></span></span></div><p>ROME, Italy -- Pope Leo XIV presided over a final mass in Rome for over one million young people on Sunday, the culmination of a youth pilgrimage that has drawn Catholics from across the world.</p><p>&quot;Aspire to great things, to holiness, wherever you are. Do not settle for less,&quot; Pope Leo told the young people during his homily.</p><p>The week-long pilgrimage ending Sunday, a highlight of the Jubilee holy year, was an enormous undertaking for the Vatican, with a half a million young pilgrims in Rome for most of the week.</p><p>On Saturday night, before a twilight vigil led by the pope, organizers had confirmed the attendance of 800,000 people in the vast, open-air space on Rome&#x27;s eastern outskirts, and on Sunday the Vatican said that number had grown to one million people.</p><p>Most of those attending slept on the ground overnight in tents, in sleeping bags or mats in anticipation of Sunday&#x27;s mass.</p><p>In his homily, the first American pope and former missionary encouraged the gathered youth to &quot;spread your enthusiasm and the witness of your faith to everyone you meet!&quot;</p><p>The Vatican has sought to highlight pilgrims who managed to travel to Rome from war-torn regions, with Leo saying Sunday the Church and world&#x27;s youth were with them in solidarity.</p><p>&quot;We are closer than ever to young people who suffer the most serious evils which are caused by other human beings,&quot; he said in his Angelus, speaking in English.</p><p>&quot;We are with the young people of Gaza. We are with the young people of Ukraine, with those of every land bloodied by war,&quot; said the pontiff, 69.</p><p>&quot;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.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/8/3/young-catholics-give-rock-star-welcome-to-pope-leo-at-vigil-1129">READ: Young Catholics give rock star welcome to Pope Leo at vigil</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/8/2/up-to-a-million-young-catholics-expected-for-grand-pope-leo-vigil-1525">READ: Up to a million young Catholics expected for grand Pope Leo vigil</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>- Catholic &#x27;Woodstock&#x27; -</strong></div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABdlZScvYq1rXit2"></script><p>The colorful event under sunny skies was accompanied by music from a choir, and about 450 bishops and 700 priests, all in green robes. A towering cross dominated the massive golden arch covering the stage where the pope led mass.</p><p>The young pilgrims -- hailing from 146 different countries, according to the Vatican --  have filled Rome&#x27;s streets since Monday, chanting, singing and waving flags of their countries.</p><p>The festive atmosphere reached its peak Saturday ahead of an evening vigil presided over by Leo, with Italian broadcaster Rai dubbing it a Catholic &quot;Woodstock&quot;.</p><p>Hundreds of thousands of youths camped out at the dusty venue, strumming guitars or singing, others snoozing, as music blasted from the stage where a series of religious bands entertained the crowds.</p><p>Leo was greeted with deafening screams and applause after his arrival by helicopter Saturday as he toured the grounds in his popemobile, with many people running to catch a better glimpse of the new American pope.</p><p>At over 500,000 square meters (125 acres), the grounds were the size of around 70 football fields.</p><p>British student Andy Hewellyn had parked himself in front of a huge video screen -- a prime spot, as he could not even see the stage far away.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m so happy to be here, even if I&#x27;m a bit far from the pope. I knew what to expect!&quot; he told AFP.</p><p>&quot;The main thing is that we&#x27;re all together.&quot;</p><p>The youth pilgrimage came about three months after the start of Leo&#x27;s papacy and 25 years after former pope John Paul II organized the last such youth gathering in Rome.</p><p>It was announced by former Pope Francis during World Youth Day in Lisbon in 2023.</p><p>The Church planned a series of events for the young pilgrims over the course of the week, including turning the Circus Maximus -- where chariot races were held in ancient Rome -- into an open-air confessional.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>Pope Leo XIV presided over a final mass in Rome for over one million young people on Sunday, the culmination of a youth pilgrimage that has drawn Catholics from across the world.</p>

Pope Leo XIV presided over a final mass in Rome for over one million young people on Sunday, the culmination of a youth pilgrimage that has drawn Catholics from across the world.

Pope's 'Jubilee of Youth' ends with Rome mass for 1 million pilgrims

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Pope's 'Jubilee of Youth' ends with Rome mass for 1 million pilgrims

Agence France-Presse

Published Aug 03, 2025 07:04 PM PHT

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