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This morning’s General Audience took place at 10.00 in Saint Peter’s Square, where the Holy Father Leo XIV met with groups of pilgrims and faithful from Italy and all over the world.

In his address in Italian, the Pope resumed the cycle of catechesis that will continue throughout the entire Jubilee Year, “ Jesus Christ our hope ”, focusing on the theme Rekindling. “Did our hearts not burn within us?” (Lk 24:32).

After summarizing his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed special greetings to the faithful present.

The General Audience concluded with the recitation of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.

 

Cycle of Catechesis – Jubilee 2025. Jesus Christ our Hope. 10.  Rekindling. “Were not our hearts burning within us?” (Lk 24:32)

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today I would like to invite you to reflect on a surprising aspect of Christ's Resurrection: his humility. If we think back to the Gospel accounts, we realize that the risen Lord does nothing spectacular to impose himself on the faith of his disciples. He does not appear surrounded by hosts of angels, he does not perform spectacular feats, he does not deliver solemn speeches to reveal the secrets of the universe. On the contrary, he approaches discreetly, like any other wayfarer, like a hungry man asking to share some bread (cf.  Lk  24:15, 41).

Mary Magdalene mistakes him for a gardener (cf.  Jn  20:15). The disciples of Emmaus believe him to be a stranger (cf.  Lk  24:18). Peter and the other fishermen think he is just a passer-by (cf.  Jn  21:4). We would have expected special effects, signs of power, overwhelming evidence. But the Lord does not seek this: he prefers the language of proximity, of normality, of sharing a meal.

Brothers and sisters, there is a valuable message in this: the Resurrection is not a theatrical coup; it is a silent transformation that fills every human gesture with meaning. The risen Jesus eats a piece of fish in front of his disciples: this is not a marginal detail, it is confirmation that our body, our history, our relationships are not a shell to be thrown away. They are destined for the fullness of life. Resurrection does not mean becoming evanescent spirits, but entering into a deeper communion with God and with our brothers and sisters, in a humanity transfigured by love.

In the Pasch of Christ, everything can become grace. Even the most ordinary things: eating, working, waiting, taking care of the house, supporting a friend. The Resurrection does not remove life from time and effort, but changes its meaning and “flavour”. Every gesture performed in gratitude and communion anticipates the Kingdom of God.

However, there is an obstacle that often prevents us from recognizing Christ’s presence in our daily lives: the assumption that joy must be free from suffering. The disciples of Emmaus walk sadly because they hoped for a different ending, for a Messiah who did not know the cross. Although they have heard that the tomb is empty, they cannot smile. But Jesus walks alongside them and patiently helps them understand that pain is not the denial of the promise, but the way through which God has manifested the measure of his love (cf.  Lk  24:13-27).

When they are finally seated at the table with him and break bread, their eyes are opened. They realize that their hearts were already burning, even though they did not know it (cf.  Lk  24:28-32). This is the greatest surprise: to discover that beneath the ashes of disenchantment and weariness there is always a living ember, waiting only to be rekindled.

Brothers and sisters, Christ’s resurrection teaches us that no history is so marked by disappointment or sin that it cannot be visited by hope. No fall is definitive, no night is eternal, no wound is destined to remain open forever. However distant, lost or unworthy we may feel, there is no distance that can extinguish the unfailing power of God’s love.

Sometimes we think that the Lord comes to visit us only in moments of contemplation or spiritual fervour, when we feel worthy, when our lives appear orderly and bright. Instead, the Risen One is close to us precisely in the darkest places: in our failures, in our frayed relationships, in the daily struggles that weigh on our shoulders, in the doubts that discourage us. Nothing that we are, no fragment of our existence, is foreign to him.

Today, the risen Lord walks alongside each of us, as we travel our paths – those of work and commitment, but also those of suffering and loneliness – and with infinite delicacy asks us to let him warm our hearts. He does not impose himself loudly; he does not demand to be recognized immediately. He waits patiently for the moment when our eyes will open to see his friendly face, capable of transforming disappointment into hopeful expectation, sadness into gratitude, resignation into hope.

The Risen One desires only to manifest his presence, to become our companion on the road and to kindle in us the certainty that his life is stronger than any death. Let us then ask for the grace to recognize his humble and discreet presence, not to expect a life without trials, to discover that every pain, if inhabited by love, can become a place of communion.

And so, like the disciples of Emmaus, we too return to our homes with hearts burning with joy. A simple joy that does not erase wounds, but illuminates them. A joy that comes from the certainty that the Lord is alive, walks with us, and gives us the possibility to start again at every moment.

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Greeting in English

I extend a warm welcome to the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially those coming from Australia, Denmark, England, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Norway, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, the United States of America, Vietnam and Wales.  In greeting with particular affection the religious and consecrated who are participating in the Jubilee of Consecrated Life, I encourage you to look to the Blessed Virgin Mary who is “the sublime model of consecration to the Father, union with the Son and openness to the Spirit” ( Vita consecrata , 28).  God bless you all!

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Summary of the Holy Father's words

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In our catechesis on the Jubilee theme of “Jesus Christ our Hope,” today we will continue our consideration of the Resurrection.  As we heard in the Gospel reading, the disappointment of the disciples after the passion of the Lord had blinded them to the joy of the Resurrection.  Jesus, rather than dazzling them with his glorious splendor, chose to appear to them with great humility, patiently teaching them that his death was the mysterious path by which he redeemed us and manifested his love for us.  However disappointed, unworthy or lost we may feel, no matter how deep our pain, the Lord wishes to accompany us on our path and teach us to discover the salvific meaning of our own suffering.  Let us ask the Lord for the grace to recognize his humble presence and to accept life’s trials with joy as we await his coming in glory.

Tomorrow,  Thursday 9 October 2025 , at  11.30 , a press conference will be held at the Holy See Press Office, Via della Conciliazione 54, to present the Apostolic Exhortation  “Dilexi te” of the Holy Father Leo XIV on love towards the poor .

The speakers will be:

-  His Eminence Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J. , prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development;

-  His Eminence Cardinal Konrad Krajewski , prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity;

-  Fr. Frédéric-Marie Le Méhauté , provincial of the Friars Minor of France/Belgium, doctor in theology ( by remote link );

-  p.s. Clémence , Little Sister of Jesus of the Fraternity of the Three Fountains.

 

The press conference will be livestreamed in the original language on the Vatican News YouTube channel, at  https://www.youtube.com/c/VaticanNews .

 

Remote participation

Journalists and media operators who wish to participate in the press conference remotely must apply, no later than two hours before the event, via the Holy See Press Office online accreditation system, at  https://press.vatican.va/accreditamenti , selecting the event  CS Esortazione Apostolica “Dilexi te”.

During the request phase, select the option “Sì” in the box “Partecipazione da remoto”.

Journalists and media operators who are admitted will receive confirmation via the online accreditation system and, at the same time, the link to access the virtual platform and to participate actively in the press conference, with the possibility of asking questions.

 

Participation in person

Journalists and media operators who wish to participate in the press conference in person must apply, no later than 24 hours before the event, via the Holy See Press Office online accreditation system at  https://press.vatican.va/accreditamenti , selecting the event  CS Esortazione Apostolica “Dilexi te”.

Journalists and media operators who are admitted will receive confirmation of participation via the online accreditation system.

 

Simultaneous translation

Both via the respective linguistic Vatican News YouTube channels and the virtual participation platform indicated in the paragraph above “Remote Participation”, it will be possible to access the simultaneous translation channels and listen to the press conference in  Italian ,  French ,  English  and  Spanish .

Simultaneous translation will also be available for those present at the Holy See Press Office.

***

Journalists and media operators who are accredited for the Press Conference are invited to be present 30 minutes before the start time.

This morning, the Holy Father received in audience:

- His Eminence Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, chair of the Committee for Investments, with members of the same Committee;

- Archbishop Raúl Biord Castillo, metropolitan of Caracas, Santiago de Venezuela, Venezuela;

- Bishop Mark Joseph Seitz of El Paso, United States of America.

The following is the Message sent by the Holy Father Leo XIV to young people all over the world for the 40 th World Youth Day, which will be celebrated in the particular Churches on 23 November 2025, on the theme: “You also are my witnesses, because you have been with me” (Jn 15:27).

 

Message of the Holy Father

Dear young people,

As I begin my first message to you, I would like to say thank you! Thank you for the joy you brought when you came to Rome for your Jubilee, and thank you to all the young people who were united to us through their prayer from every part of the world. It was a precious moment for renewing our enthusiasm for the faith and sharing the hope that burns in our hearts! Rather than being an isolated event, I hope the Jubilee encounter marks for each of you a step forward in Christian life and a strong encouragement to persevere in witnessing to your faith.

That same dynamic is at the heart of the next World Youth Day, which we will celebrate on 23 November, Solemnity of Christ the King, with the theme: “You also are my witnesses, because you have been with me” ( Jn  15:27). As pilgrims of hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we prepare ourselves to become courageous witnesses of Christ. Let us begin a journey that will lead us to the international World Youth Day in Seoul in 2027. With this in mind, I would like to focus on two aspects of witness: our friendship with Jesus, which we receive from God as a gift, and our commitment to be builders of peace in society.

Friends, therefore witnesses

Christian witness arises from friendship with the Lord, who was crucified and rose for the salvation of all. This witness is not to be confused with ideological propaganda, for it is an authentic principle of interior transformation and social awareness. Jesus chose to call his disciples “friends.” He made known to them the Kingdom of God, asked them to remain with him, to become his community, and sent them to proclaim the Gospel (cf.  Jn  15:15, 27). So when Jesus tells us, “Be witnesses,” he is assuring us that he considers us as his friends. He alone fully knows who we are and why we are here; young people, he knows your heart, your indignation in the face of discrimination and injustice, your desire for truth and beauty, for joy and peace. Through his friendship, he listens to you, motivates you, and guides you, calling each of you to a new life.

The gaze of Jesus, who always wants nothing but our good, precedes us (cf.  Mk  10:21). He does not want us to be servants, nor “activists” of a political party; he calls us to be with him as friends, so that our lives may be renewed. And witness arises spontaneously from the joyful newness of this friendship. It is a unique friendship that grants us communion with God, a faithful friendship that helps us discover our dignity and that of others, an eternal friendship that not even death can destroy, because the risen and crucified Lord is its source.

Let us consider the message the Apostle John gives us at the end of the fourth Gospel: “This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true” ( Jn  21:24). The entire preceding account is summarized as a “testimony,” full of gratitude and wonder, from a disciple who never reveals his name, but calls himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” This title reflects a relationship: it is not the name of an individual, but the testimony of a personal bond with Christ. That is what really matters to John: being a disciple of the Lord and feeling loved by him. We understand, then, that Christian witness is the fruit of a relationship of faith and love with Jesus, in whom we find the salvation of our lives. What the Apostle John writes also refers to you, dear young people. You are invited by Christ to follow him and sit beside him, to listen to his heart and share closely in his life! Each one of you is a “beloved disciple” for him, and from this love comes the joy of witness.

Another courageous witness to the Gospel is the Precursor of Jesus, John the Baptist, who came “to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him” ( Jn  1:7). Although he enjoyed great fame among the people, he knew well that he was only a “voice” pointing to the Savior when he exclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God” ( Jn  1:36). His example reminds us that true witnesses do not seek to occupy the center stage, nor to bind their followers to themselves. True witnesses are humble and inwardly free, above all from themselves, that is, from the pretense of being the center of attention. Therefore, they are free to listen, to understand, and also to speak the truth to everyone, even in the presence of those who are powerful. From John the Baptist, we learn that Christian witness is neither a proclamation of ourselves nor a celebration of our spiritual, intellectual or moral abilities. True witness is recognizing and pointing to Jesus when he appears, as he is the only one who saves us. John recognized him among sinners, immersed in common humanity. To that end, Pope Francis insisted so often that if we do not go beyond ourselves and our comfort zones, if we do not go to the poor and those who feel excluded from the Kingdom of God, we cannot encounter Christ and bear witness to him. We lose the sweet joy of being evangelized and of evangelizing.

Dear friends, I invite each of you to continue to individuate Jesus’ friends and witnesses in the Bible. As you read the Gospel, you will find that they all discovered the true meaning of life through their living relationship with Christ. Indeed, our deepest questions are not heard or answered by endlessly scrolling on our cell phones, which captures our attention but leaves us with tired minds and empty hearts. This search will not take us far if we keep it closed within ourselves or in narrow confinements. The fulfillment of our authentic desires always comes through going beyond ourselves.

Witnesses, therefore missionaries

In this way, dear young people, with the help of the Holy Spirit, you can become missionaries of Christ in the world. Many of your peers are exposed to violence, forced to use weapons, separated from their loved ones, and compelled to migrate or flee. Many lack education and other essential goods. All share with you the search for meaning and the insecurity that accompanies it, the discomfort of growing social and work pressures, the difficulty of dealing with family crises, the painful feeling of a lack of opportunities, as well as the remorse for mistakes they have made. You can stand alongside other young people, walk with them and show that God, in Jesus, has drawn close to each person. As Pope Francis often said, “Christ shows that God is closeness, compassion and tender love” (Encyclical Letter  Dilexit nos , 35).

Granted, it is not always easy to bear witness. In the Gospels, we often find tension between acceptance and rejection of Jesus: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” ( Jn  1:5). Similarly, the disciple-witness experiences rejection firsthand and sometimes even violent opposition. The Lord does not hide this painful reality: “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you” ( Jn  15:20). However, it becomes an opportunity to put into practice the greatest commandment: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” ( Mt  5:44). That is what the martyrs have done since the beginning of the Church.

Dear young people, this is not a story that belongs only to the past. To this day, in many places around the world, Christians and people of good will suffer persecution, deceit and violence. Perhaps this painful experience has marked you as well, and you may have been tempted to react instinctively by putting yourselves on the same level as those who have rejected you, adopting aggressive attitudes. But let us recall the wise advice of Saint Paul: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” ( Rom  12:21).

So do not be discouraged: like the saints, you too are called to persevere with hope, especially in the face of difficulties and obstacles.

Fraternity as a bond of peace

From friendship with Christ, which is a gift of the Holy Spirit within us, there arises a way of life that bears the character of fraternity. Young people who have encountered Christ bring the “warmth” and “flavor” of fraternity wherever they go, and anyone who comes into contact with them is drawn into a new and profound dimension, made up of selfless closeness, sincere compassion and genuine tenderness. The Holy Spirit enables us to see our neighbor with new eyes: in the other person there is a brother, a sister!

The witness of fraternity and peace that friendship with Christ awakens in us casts off indifference and spiritual laziness, helping us to overcome closed-mindedness and suspicion. It also builds bonds between us, urging us to work together, from volunteerism to “political charity,” to build new living conditions for all. Do not follow those who use the words of faith to divide; instead, make plans to remove inequalities and reconcile divided and oppressed communities. To that end, dear friends, let us listen to the voice of God within us and overcome our selfishness, becoming active artisans of peace. That peace, which is a gift of the risen Lord (cf.  Jn  20:19), will become visible in the world through the common witness of those who carry his Spirit in their hearts.

Dear young people, in the face of the world’s sufferings and hopes, let us fix our gaze on Jesus. As he was dying on the cross, he entrusted the Virgin Mary to John as his mother, and John to her as her son. That ultimate gift of love is for every disciple, for each of us. I invite you to welcome this holy bond with Mary, a mother full of affection and understanding, and to cultivate it in particular by praying the Rosary. That way, in every situation of our life, we will experience that we are never alone, for as children we are always loved, forgiven and encouraged by God. Bear witness to this joyfully!

From the Vatican, 7 October 2025, Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Holy Rosary

LEO PP. XIV

Accepting the invitation of the Head of State and Ecclesiastical Authorities of the country, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV will make an Apostolic Journey to Türkiye from 27 to 30 November 2025, which will include a pilgrimage to İznik on the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea.

In response to the invitation of the Head of State and Ecclesiastical Authorities of Lebanon, the Holy Father subsequently will undertake an Apostolic Journey in that country from 30 November to 2 December 2025.

The itinerary of the Apostolic Journey will be announced in due course.