The Pope’s Jubilee Message for Youth
Every 25 years, the Roman Catholic Church celebrates a year-long Jubilee, meant to inspire Catholics around the globe to seek a more prayerful and virtuous life. The Jubilee also fosters familial and community growth for the Church’s members. Last year on December 24, Pope Francis declared the year of 2025 as the Jubilee Year of Hope. This meant that come July, there would be a week of celebration in the heart of Rome, with an expected 500k young people attending.
However, to say that 500k pilgrims attended the Jubilee would be a lie... because an unexpected 1.1 million actually showed up. I happened to be one of the lucky 1.1 million. So many different moments from this pilgrimage struck me, but the most soul-stirring and mind-expanding moment was when the Pope appeared in the Tor Vergata fields, right outside of the mountains, to deliver his message of hope to the million youths.
The reason that this moment was so special is because not only was each pilgrim standing in the field for themselves, but because each pilgrim was a part of something bigger than themselves. In other words, each person made up a building block of a movement: this movement is one of peace and understanding. One of forgiveness and charity. At the core of this movement are the Pope’s words: “Let us all say together: We want peace in the world! Let us pray for peace.”
“But why do his words matter at all?” you may ask. “Has the world not already heard the cliche phrase of “let there be peace on Earth”?” “Who has really ever listened?” The Pope declared in response: “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!”
Specifically, the Pope emphasized that young people should call for peace regarding the Israeli-Gazan War, as well as the Russo-Ukrainian War. He emphasized the importance of remembering the youth in those respective regions, who have little to no options of helping themselves.
Looking back at the Jubilee, it’s eerily apparent that the theme of the Jubilee reflects that of John Paul II and his message at World Youth Day in 2000: "You will defend life at every moment of its development; you will strive with all your strength to make this earth ever more livable for all people” (which could be read on The Holy See).
John Paul II is said by many to have converted millions of hearts, and to have impacted the world in ways that most others in history have not. He was a trailblazer for charity and love for the average neighbor. In light of this, why then could we not follow the example of John Paul II’s message in 2000, as well as Pope Leo’s message in 2025? The urgency for a call to peace is still as relevant today as it was 25 years ago, if not more pressing.
This Jubilee serves as a visible sign on Earth that the young are ready to respond to the violence that rages in the world, and that this upcoming generation can change the world for the better. This Jubilee serves as a visible sign that political leaders can choose to respect the dignity of all people. And finally, this Jubilee serves as a reminder to the world that peace is never outdated or cliche. It will always be relevant and real, and necessary.
Parts of the Pope’s speech at Tor Vergata can be read on The Vatican News.