Pope Leo XIV Tells Youth "clear the door of the heart" with Prayer and "Eucharistic adoration as a sunbath" FULL TEXT in Monaco

Thousands of young people from across Monaco were gathered in front of the Church of St Devota for an encounter with Pope Leo XIV. Four young residents of the microstate had been chosen to ask Pope Leo a question. The first was Benjamin, a 22-year-old student and a practicing Catholic, who asked him for advice on “remaining confident and holding on to hope” in the midst of environmental problems and violent conflict. In his reply, the Pope emphasised the sense of “unity”, with oneself and with others, that comes from developing a relationship with Christ. “It is love that gives stability to life,” the Pope said.
MEETING WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND CATECHUMENS
FULL TEXT ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER
Church Square, Sainte-Dévote,
Saturday, March 28, 2026
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Dear brothers and sisters,
dear young people! Dear friends, hello!

I am happy to be here with you and I greet you warmly. I thank His Grace the Archbishop for the words he addressed to me.

As he pointed out, the church we are in is dedicated to Saint Devota, Patron Saint of the Principality of Monaco: a courageous young woman who bore witness to her faith even unto martyrdom in the face of her persecutors' violence. Her body providentially arrived here from Corsica, on what is now the Monegasque coast. They wanted to annihilate her, to erase all memory of her, but on the contrary, her sacrifice carried the Gospel's message of peace and love even further. This makes us reflect on the fact that good is stronger than evil, even when, at times, it seems to have the upper hand. But that's not all: it also reminds us that the witness of faith is a seed that can reach and nourish distant hearts and places, far beyond our own expectations and capabilities.

In this church, the memory of Saint Carlo Acutis, another young man devoted to Jesus, has recently joined that of the holy martyr Devota. He remained faithful to his friendship with Christ until the end, in very different times and circumstances: in charity, in online apostolate , of which he is venerated as Patron, and finally in illness.

Dear young people, these two saints encourage us and urge us to imitate them. Even today, as has been mentioned, faith faces challenges and obstacles, but nothing can tarnish its beauty and truth. The men and women of all ages who, in ever-increasing numbers, desire to know the Lord and request baptism, bear witness to this.

You spoke about all of this in your testimonies. Benjamin, whom I thank for what he shared, asks how to avoid being drawn away from ourselves, from others, and from God by the distractions of a world—our world—that is constantly changing. His question is important, and it touches on a fundamental aspect of Christian life: the vitality of our relationship with Christ and, through it, the sense of unity that is created within ourselves and with others. On this subject, a great youth leader said that “the root of unity in life is found in the heart, […] it is a matter of the heart, it is a gift from God, which must be asked for with humility” (CM Martini, Da Betlemme al cuore dell'uomo , Edizioni Terra Santa, 2013).

The modern and postmodern eras have enriched us with many positive things, offering us opportunities and possibilities previously unknown in many respects: from the cultural sphere to medicine and health, from technology to communication. However, they also confront us with major challenges that we cannot ignore and that we must face with clarity and awareness. As Benjamin said, we live in a world that always seems rushed, eager for novelty, cultivating a fluidity without attachments, marked by an almost compulsive need for constant change: in fashions, appearance, relationships, ideas, and even in the very dimensions of the person that constitute their identity.

But what gives life its solidity is love: first and foremost, the fundamental experience of God's love, and then, by extension, the enlightening and sacred experience of mutual love. While loving one another requires being open to growth and therefore to change, it also demands fidelity, constancy, and a willingness to make daily sacrifices. Only in this way can anxiety find peace—we too desire peace!—and can the inner void Andreia spoke of be filled, not by material and ephemeral things, nor even by virtual tokens of approval like thousands of likes , nor by restrictive, artificial, or even sometimes violent affiliations. It is necessary to clear the door of the heart of all these things so that the healthy and oxygenating air of grace may return to refresh and revitalize the rooms, and the powerful wind of the Holy Spirit may begin to fill the sails of our existence again, pushing it towards true happiness.

All of this, dear friends, requires prayer, moments of silence, and listening, to quiet the frenzy of action and words, messages, reels , and chats , and to deepen and savor the beauty of being truly and concretely together. In this regard, Saint Carlo Acutis spoke of the Eucharist as a “highway to Heaven” and of Eucharistic adoration as a sunbath, capable of tanning the soul.

There might be here an answer to the question posed by Ethan concerning the ultimate preparation for baptism, on Easter night: to live Holy Week by contemplating the mystery of the Passion, in an atmosphere of listening to the voice of the Spirit and to what is happening in the heart, making this time an opportunity for a serene and profound examination of one's life, past and present.

And if this holds true for spiritual life and prayer, it is equally true for the practice of charity. Ethan asked how we can bear witness to the gift of life we ​​receive in Christ; and Sophie asked how we can be witnesses of hope for those who, marked by suffering, risk losing the light and comfort of faith. Faced with challenges, Jesus advised us: “Do not worry about what to say or how to say it… For it is not you who are speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” ( Mt 10:19-20). He was referring to the persecutions endured for the Gospel, but we can apply his words to all circumstances where charity calls us to face a significant trial for ourselves and for others. Words and gestures of witness and hope are not improvised, nor are they given spontaneously. They stem from a deep relationship with God, in which we find life's fundamental answers. If the channel of His action is open within us, and if there is reciprocity, then we make this loving relationship a shared and common gift, and we can trust that the right words and the strength to act will come at the right time.

This can be interpreted in this light the magnificent, yet sometimes misunderstood, phrase of Saint Augustine: “Love and do what you will” ( In litteram Ioannis ad Parthos , 7, 8). Love, that is, be a free gift to God and to others; be close, do not distance yourself, even when you cannot solve all the problems or resolve all the difficulties. Stay, with love and with faith. Monaco is a magnificent country, but it is you who bring its true beauty, when you know how to look into the eyes of those who suffer or those who feel invisible in the city lights.

This is how Saint Devota found the strength to give her life to the very end, and this is how Saint Carlo Acutis lived his path of holiness, leaving a trail of light even in the world of the web .

Dear young people, do not be afraid to give everything—your time, your energy—to God and to your brothers and sisters; to give yourselves wholeheartedly for the Lord and for others. Only in this way will you find ever-renewed flavor and ever-deeper meaning in life. The world needs your witness to overcome the excesses of our time and face its challenges, and above all, to rediscover the sweet taste of love for God and neighbor.

To you, young catechumens, preparing for baptism, and to you who have already received this gift of grace, I offer my warmest wishes: may you live a full and authentic life in Christ. May you be, for the good of all, in faith, hope, justice, and charity, instruments of peace. You are the youthful face of this Church and this State. Monaco is a small country, but it can be a great laboratory of solidarity, a window of hope. Carry the Gospel into your professional choices, into your social and political engagement, to give a voice to those who do not have one, spreading a culture of attentiveness to others. Live everything as a mission and make everything a gift to God, who desires you to be friends in Christ and faithful companions on the journey.

I entrust you to the intercession of Mary our Mother, Saint Devota, and Saint Carlo Acutis. And I wholeheartedly give you my blessing.