Pope tells young pilgrims: 'Your voices will be heard to the ends of the earth'

Image Vatican Media

Source: Vatican Media

At the opening of the Jubilee of Youth on Tuesday evening, Pope Leo welcomed young people to St Peter's Square, inviting them to pray for peace: "Let us walk together with our faith in Jesus Christ."

After the welcoming Mass which was celebrated by Mgr Rino Fisichella, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, the Holy Father made a few trips round St Peter's Square in the popemobile to greet those present.

He told them: "You are the salt of the earth, the light of the world! And today your voices, your enthusiasm, your cries - all of them for Jesus Christ - will be heard to the ends of the earth!"

"Today marks the beginning of a few days, a journey, the Jubilee of Hope, and the world needs messages of hope. You are that message, and you must continue bringing hope to everyone," the Pope emphasized.

"We hope that all of you will always be signs of hope in the world. Today we are at the beginning. In the coming days, you will have the opportunity to be a force that brings God's grace, a message of hope, a light to the city of Rome, to Italy, and to the entire world. Let us walk together with our faith in Jesus Christ. And our cry must also be for peace in the world. Let us all say together: We want peace in the world! Let us pray for peace."

"Let us pray for peace," the Pope invited his listeners, "and let us be witnesses of the peace of Jesus Christ, of reconciliation - this light of the world that we are all seeking."

After the blessing, the Pontiff wished the young pilgrims a good week in Rome and invited them to gather again on August 2 and 3 for the vigil and Mass of the Jubilee of Youth: "See you in Tor Vergata."

At the Mass presided over by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, before the Pope's arrival, the Italian prelate reflected in his homily on the day's Gospel: "The Evangelist tells us very clearly: he tells us, above all, that faith is an encounter - an encounter, however, that we do not begin ourselves."

"Never be afraid to be witnesses of the Risen Christ, because this is what makes us believers, Christians. Christ is risen and we have seen Him; we believe in Him. But this witness also becomes action."

At the conclusion of his reflection, the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization recalled the Pope's words from the previous Sunday: "To encounter Christ - that is why I await you. To encounter Christ and be strengthened by Him in faith and in the commitment to follow Him with integrity."

Watch the Welcome Mass on youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-BwTWqxTs0