Pope Leo XIV inaugurated the World Meeting of Catholic Youth in Rome on Tuesday evening with a solemn Mass held in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. He celebrated the service before approximately 120,000 young people from around the world, including 380 from Austria. In his speech, he called on the youth to be “witnesses of peace.”
“You are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world. The world needs a message of hope, and you are that sign of hope,” the Holy Father said at the conclusion of the Mass, which was led by Archbishop Rino Fisichella. "Our Calling Is for Peace"
The Pope inspired those present with a trilingual greeting in Italian, English, and Spanish. “Our calling must be for peace. We want peace in the world! Let us pray for peace and be witnesses of peace and reconciliation ourselves.” Palestinian Youth at the Altar During this first major event of the youth anniversary, the theme of war also came into focus: two young Palestinians placed a keffiyeh—a cultural and political symbol of Palestine—on the altar. Palestinian flags were also waved along Via della Conciliazione, the main road leading to St. Peter’s Square.
Main Event to Take Place Outdoors The highlight of the week-long program is an open-air event on August 2–3 in the outskirts of Rome, with Pope Leo XIV participating at the Tor Vergata university campus in southern Rome. Until the Mass with the Pope on Sunday morning, participants will sleep outdoors in sleeping bags.
Vatican Becomes a High-Security Zone For the main events of the World Youth Meeting at Tor Vergata, flight bans for aircraft and drones will be in effect in the coming days. The area has been divided into three security zones, covering a total area of approximately 800,000 square meters.
