A million pilgrims welcomed by Pope Leo XIV

In Rome, Tuesday, July 29, a contained excitement makes the whole city shudder. Groups of young people survey the unequal cobblestones of the eternal city, chat in all languages, greet each other, sing from the first songs. They contain their joy, awaiting the official opening of the young people. 500,000 pilgrims, gathered in the city of Pope Léon XIV until Sunday August 3, will participate in the opening mass on Place Saint Pierre.

“Vivo France!” », Sets a group of Italians to a group of French people in the midst of reciprocal cheers. With the 90,000 Italians, the 20,000 French people form one of the largest delegations of the jubilee. They came with their parish, their chaplaincy, their diocese or religious communities. Each group has invested one of the multiple churches in Rome.

“A new momentum in my faith”

In one of them, dioceses from northern France spent the morning praying together, exchanging, listening to catechesis and testimony. At the end of the afternoon, in the queues which converge towards Saint Peter square where the opening mass will be held, the intense and collected atmosphere which marked the beginning of the pilgrimage is still felt.

“This morning, I loved* for the second time in life,” says Salenza, 17, who left with the diocese of Soissons. “It was beautiful, some cried, people were happy,” she said. What is she expecting this week? “Reconnect to God,” she says with confidence.

“A new impetus in my faith,” said Rémi an engineer of 25 years sitting in the midst of young people in the diocese of Reims, who regrets not praying as much as he would like in his daily life. Since the start of their journey, which for some has started a week ago, pilgrims have lived a time out of time, conducive to a refocusing on themselves and on God. “This week is a good opportunity to leave our bad habits and strengthen in his faith,” said Léo seriously, a 19 -year -old student on the ground a few meters further.

Young people have the feeling of living a historic moment. “It’s only every 25 years, a jubilee!” », Underlines Léo with wonder. Like him, many see the city of the Pope for the first time. Over the day, the excitement rises, the atmosphere becomes electric. In the large street which leads to Saint Peter’s square, already filled an hour and a half before the start of the mass, despite the sun which taps and the crowd that does not advance, joy bursts. Music, songs and cries and cries invade the sound space. Each group asserts itself, sings in chorus and agitates its flag.

A feeling of belonging

“Euphoria”: this is the word that Marine finds, a young girl of the diocese of Boulogne overflowing with joy, to describe the feeling aroused by the mass effect. “All these young people gathered for the same thing, the songs, the flags, that makes you dream,” admits Léo. The pilgrims came with the thirst to meet other young Catholics and the desire to feel belonging to a vast community.

Some find the exaltation felt during the World Youth Days, two years earlier, of which they still wear t-shirts. An encouragement to the antipodes of the feeling of minority usually experienced. “My hope for this jubilee is that young Catholics are not ashamed of their faith but in proud,” says Isi, a 23 -year -old Chilean between two Christian tubes disseminated by the portable enclosure.

A surprise from the Pope

At 7 p.m., mass finally begins. The introductory words of Monsignor Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect for evangelization, pierces the hubbub that gradually calms down. During the homily, the cardinal encourages young people to hold on in faith, “a free choice” which leads to “real happiness”. Like Saint Marthe, of which it was the party, which goes to meet Jesus, be “vigilant people, ready, ready to run towards him without hesitation,” he asked young people.

The end of the celebration brought the general euphoria to its height: when it was not expected by the pilgrims, Pope Leo crossed the Assembly in papamobile. On the announcement of the arrival of the Sovereign Pontiff, the young people rushed to the barriers that line the aisles. The surprise effect multiplied the explosion of joy. To the sound of “dad Leone” and “esta es la juventud del papa” chanted by the jubilation crowd, Léon XIV praised the pilgrims with his usual serene and blessed smile. “Jesus says to us,” You are the salt of the earth “,” You are the light of the world! “Today, your voices, your enthusiasm, your cries, which are all for Jesus Christ, will be heard to the end of the world!” “, He launched to young people at the end of his turn. “We find ourselves wrongly, have a good week!” The pope will see young people again on Saturday evening, during the final vigil at a university in the city.

*Pray before a consecrated host, body of Christ for Catholics