date: 04.08.2025.
Dear young people,
I am pleased to address you with a message on the occasion of the 36th Youth Festival, which, like every year, reunites you in Medjugorje. You come from many countries around the world: I cordially greet you with the greeting of the Risen Lord: "Peace be with you!"
In recent days, you have reflected on the motto chosen for this Festival: "Let us go to the house of the Lord." (Ps 122:1). This verse speaks to us of the journey, of the desire that moves us toward God, toward His dwelling place, where we can truly be at home, because His love awaits us. How can we journey toward the house of the Lord without taking the wrong direction? Jesus told us, "I am the way" (Jn 14:6): He Himself accompanies us, guides us, and strengthens us on our journey. His Spirit opens our eyes and shows us what we could not understand on our own.
On the journey of life, we never walk alone. Our path always intertwines with that of someone else: we are created to encounter one another, to walk together, and to discover a common goal. Therefore, I gladly share with you the thought of Saint Augustine, who does not speak of the house of the Lord as a distant destination, but proclaims the joy of walking together, as a people on a pilgrimage: "Let us go, let us go! Thus they speak to one another, and, creating a flame for one another, they form a single flame. And this single flame, born from the one who speaks, transmits to the other the flame with which it burns" (Saint Aurelius Augustine, Enarrationes in Psalmos , PL 37, p. 1619). What a marvelous image! No one walks alone: we encourage each other, we help each other. The flames of our hearts unite and become one great flame that lights the path. You, dear young people, are not solitary pilgrims. This journey toward the Lord is realized together. This is the beauty of the faith lived in the Church.
In our daily encounters, we walk together on our pilgrimage toward the house of the Lord. In this sense, dear friends, you know well that we live in an increasingly digital world, where artificial intelligence and technology offer us countless opportunities. Remember: no algorithm can replace an embrace, a gaze, a true encounter, whether with God or with our friends or our family. Remember Mary: she also undertook a challenging journey to meet her cousin Elizabeth. It was not easy, but she succeeded, and that encounter brought joy: John the Baptist rejoiced in his mother's womb, recognizing the living presence of the Lord in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Therefore, following Mary's example, I encourage you to seek true encounters. Rejoice together and do not be afraid to weep with those who weep, as Saint Paul tells us: " Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." (Rom 12:15).
You have come to Medjugorje from many nations, and perhaps you feel that language or culture are a barrier to encounter: be courageous. There is a language stronger than any obstacle, and it is the language of faith, nourished by God's love. You are members of His Body, which is the Church: meet each other, get to know each other, share your experiences. Only in this way, walking together, supporting one another, illuminating each other's path, we will reach the house of the Lord. What a joy it is to know we are welcome in the Father's house, embraced by His love, and to know that we must not walk alone, but together!
If any of you, during this pilgrimage of life, feel a special call to the consecrated life or the priesthood, I urge you not to be afraid to respond. This call, which you feel resonating within you, comes from God; it speaks to our hearts. Listen to it with trust: the word of the Lord, in fact, not only makes us truly free and happy, but also authentically fulfills us as persons and as Christians.
Dear young people, as I entrust each of you to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ and our Mother, I accompany you with my prayers. May the Most Holy Virgin encourage and guide you on the path of life, so that you may become messengers of peace and hope.
From my heart, I impart my Apostolic Blessing to all.
Castel Gandolfo, July 9th, 2025
Pope Leo XIV
