Pope Leo XIV addressed an estimated 80,000 young people at the Stade de France, located roughly 10 kilometers from central Paris, during a prayer vigil on Friday evening, September 25. According to reporting by Jānis Evertovskis, the pontiff told the stadium crowd that God governs history toward salvation and that Christ brings an end to every form of evil.
Sources of True Freedom in Modern Life
Addressing French youth as “God’s people,” the Roman bishop emphasized that living with God grants freedom from anything that makes life empty or meaningless. Citing the Apostle Paul, Pope Leo XIV defined the source of true freedom as a living relationship with Jesus, pointing to the biblical teaching that truth sets individuals free. Modern digital habits often offer a different dynamic, as the pontiff warned that chasing online validation leaves people with a pile of “likes” while remaining in frightening isolation. Rejecting such selfish lifestyles helps individuals discover divine closeness and human brotherhood.
Walking the Path of Sanctity and Right Choices
Christian life follows a specific dynamic known as the path of sanctity, which encourages believers to move beyond merely avoiding evil and actively choose the good. Pope Leo XIV outlined this journey using three verbs derived from Saint Paul: avoid, strive, and fight. Believers must avoid pride, emptiness, violence, and greed, which foster destructive egoism. Instead, they should strive for righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. The pontiff noted that goodness is not an abstract concept but the bright face of love and the reflection of God’s own nature.
Pro Tip: When facing difficult choices, the Pope advised looking to the saints for guidance, specifically highlighting Saint Teresa of the Child Jesus and her “little way” of daily love as a foundation for sustainable peace.
Fighting with the Weapons of Faith and Love
The third action verb highlighted during the vigil is to fight, which involves the spiritual effort to live according to the Gospel as disciples of Jesus. Pope Leo XIV stressed that this conflict does not involve fighting one another with weapons of violence, contempt, or oppression. Rather, the sole weapon of Christian believers is a love that gives of itself. Supported by fellow believers and the saints, young people were urged to act as bright witnesses of Christ’s victory over sin and death, transforming society for the better.
Did You Know? The Stade de France, where the vigil took place, had approximately 80,000 people in attendance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did Pope Leo XIV deliver his address to the youth?
The Pope spoke at the Stade de France, situated about 10 kilometers outside central Paris, during a Friday evening prayer vigil.
How many people attended the prayer vigil?
An estimated 80,000 people gathered inside the stadium for the event reported by Jānis Evertovskis.
What are the three action verbs emphasized in the papal address?
Drawing on Saint Paul, Pope Leo XIV highlighted the verbs “avoid,” “strive,” and “fight” as a framework for Christian living and the path of sanctity.
What did the Pope identify as the true source of freedom?
Pope Leo XIV stated that true freedom comes from a living relationship with Jesus Christ, who is the Truth.
What are your thoughts on how modern digital habits impact personal freedom? Share your perspective in the comments below, explore more articles on our site, or subscribe to our newsletter for regular updates.
Worth a look