Pope Leo XIV says Become "heralds of peace and hope" and Listen to the Call of God - to Nearly 50,000 at Medjugorje Youth Festival

Pope Leo XIV sends a message to the 36th International Youth Festival in Medjugorje. The pope urged young people to follow the example of the Virgin Mary, in a message nearly 50,000 young pilgrims gathered for the 36th International Youth Festival in Medjugorje. The Youth Festival, held at the Marian shrine in Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, runs this year from August 4 to 8 and draws young people from across the globe. Pope Leo said that the theme for this year’s edition—“We will go to the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1)—resonated deeply with him.

FULL TEXT Message of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV
to the Participants in the 36th Youth Festival (MLADIFEST)
[Medjugorje, August 4-8, 2025]
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Dear young people ,

I am very pleased to address you with a message on the occasion of the 36th Festival that brings you together, as it does every year, in Medjugorje. You come from many countries around the world: to all of you I affectionately address the greeting of the Risen Lord: "Peace be with you!"

In these days, meditate on the motto chosen for the Festival: "We will go to the house of the Lord" ( Ps 122:1). This phrase speaks to us of a journey, a desire that moves us toward God, toward the place of his dwelling, where we can truly be at home, because there his love awaits us. How can we walk toward the house of the Lord and not lose our way? Jesus told us, "I am the way" ( Jn 14:6): it is He himself who accompanies us, guides us, and strengthens us along the way. His Spirit opens our eyes and allows us to see what we could not understand on our own.

On the path of life, we never walk alone. Our journey is always intertwined with that of someone else: we are made for encounter, to walk together, and to discover a common goal together. Therefore, I gladly share with you a thought from Saint Augustine, which does not speak of the house of the Lord as a distant destination, but proclaims the joy of a journey lived together, as a people on pilgrimage: "Let us go, let us go! They speak thus among themselves, and, lighting each other up, so to speak, they form a single flame. And this single flame, born from the one who speaks, communicates to the other the fire with which it burns" (St. Aurelii Augustini, Enarrationes in Psalmos, PL 37, p. 1619). What a marvelous image! No one walks alone: we encourage one another, we kindle one another. The flames of our hearts unite and become one great fire that lights the path. You too, young people, are not solitary pilgrims. This path to the Lord is traveled together. This is the beauty of faith lived in the Church.

Through daily encounters, we can journey together on our pilgrimage toward the house of the Lord. In this regard, dear friends, you know well that we live in an increasingly digital world, where artificial intelligence and technology offer us a thousand opportunities. Remember: no algorithm can ever replace a hug, a glance, a true encounter, whether with God, our friends, or our family. Think of Mary. She too undertook a difficult journey to meet her cousin Elizabeth. It wasn't easy, but she did it, and that encounter brought joy: John the Baptist rejoiced in his mother's womb, recognizing, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the living presence of the Lord. Following Mary's example, I therefore encourage you to seek true encounters. Rejoice together, and don't be afraid to weep with those who weep, as Saint Paul also 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 an obstacle to encounter: be courageous. There is a language stronger than any barrier, the language of faith, nourished by the love of God. You are all members of his Body, which is the Church: meet, know one another, share. Only in this way, walking together, supporting one another, lighting one another up, will we reach the house of the Lord. What a joy to know that we are awaited in the Father's house, welcomed by his love, and that we must not walk alone, but together!

Along the way, if any of you feel a call to a special vocation, to the consecrated life or to the priesthood, I encourage you not to be afraid to respond. That invitation, which you feel resonating within you, comes from God, who 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 human beings and as Christians.

Dear young people, as I entrust each of you to Mary, Mother of Christ and our Mother, I accompany you with my prayers. May the Holy Virgin encourage and guide you along the path to becoming heralds of peace and hope. I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing to all of you.

From Castel Gandolfo, July 9, 2025

Leo PP. XIV