Pope Leo XIV Greeted by 80,000 Youth as a Superstar and He Tells them "grow in holiness and improve our society, be radiant witnesses to this Gospel, to the good news that is Christ himself, our Savior" FULL TEXT Prayer Vigil in France

Pope Leo XIV was greeting like a superstar by 80,000 young people at the prayer vigil inside the Stade de France stadium in Paris, France. It was a spectacle of sport, music, and light dedicated to the religious figures who have most influenced the history of Christianity in France.

PRAYER VIGIL WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
FULL TEXT ADDRESS OF POPE LEO XIV
“Stade de France” of Saint-Denis on Friday, 25 September 2026
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Dialogue with the Holy Father
Question from Chloé

Holy Father, we thank you for your presence among us this evening and for this opportunity for dialogue that you are giving us.

My name is Chloé. I am 25 years old, and I am finishing my studies in pharmacology. I am part of a group of young Catholics from working-class neighborhoods in the Île-de-France region called La Cité Céleste. Among other things, we organize events such as evenings of adoration and worship, which bring together many young people from the neighborhood who are eager to live out and share their faith with others. I am also active in my parish, working in particular with high school students. Through these various commitments, I am passionate about using my energy and skills to serve others, creating connections between faith, youth and the realities of daily life in our neighborhoods.

As Saint Paul says, “For me, to live is Christ.” However, the society in which we live is founded on different principles and sometimes even seems to have no regard for the question of God. We wish to proclaim Christ to those around us with strength and perseverance, but also with respect and sensitivity. How can we combine our strong missionary zeal with authentic fraternity toward those who do not share our faith?

The Holy Father’s Response

Dear friends, the first thing I would like to say is very simple: thank you. Thanks be to God, and to you — thank you for your courage, thank you for your presence, thank you for your faith. You are the saints of France!

Thank you, Chloe, for your question. The phrase from Saint Paul that you quoted is not just a statement. It is truly the essence of his life. In these few but decisive words, he utters a prayer of praise, an act of faith, and he points to the path of holiness that led to martyrdom. “For me, to live is Christ” (cf. Phil 1:21). By repeating this declaration of love, we seek to share in the Apostle’s experience. He testifies that God was never absent from his life. God came to meet him, calling him to himself, thereby transforming him from within, and sending him out into the world.

We are all part of this spiritual journey, even today. It is true, as you say, that the society in which we live seems indifferent to God. But the Lord is not indifferent to us! This is what matters, and what always gives us hope. The fact that many are indifferent to the question of God is, indeed, a problem, but so too is the fact that many are indifferent to the question of humanity. Sadly, how many people show no concern for their neighbors, lead selfish lives, look down on the poor while squandering their wealth on trivial things. How many reject the weak and the infirm, thinking that a person’s worth lies solely in what they produce. Consider your commitment in the working-class neighborhoods of Île-de-France, in La Cité Céleste: it is there, in the concrete realities of daily life, and sometimes in the midst of difficulties, that your faith becomes a vibrant witness to hope.

Humanity goes astray when it claims that God is dead. Without God, we have no salvation and we lose the meaning of our existence, which is reduced to a dead end or to nothingness. Conversely, those who say, “For me, to live is Christ!” experience the exact opposite. Indeed, in Christ we know that God is never indifferent to humanity! Through Jesus, crucified and risen, God gives his own life so that we may live. The way to proclaim Christ courageously yet respectfully is to proclaim him as the Gospel of salvation, as the word of truth and life. The Gospel is good news for all, a liberating message, and a guide for new life.

The Gospel of Jesus does not lead to conflict, but always invites us to forgive. While shedding light on the drama of history, it fosters fraternal concern. Encountering Christ opens the way to dialogue and prepares us for his peace, for it offers every man and woman the greatest promise, the one that fulfills our every desire, namely the promise of eternal life.

Dear Chloé, dear young people, every person’s religious experience expresses this search for meaning that animates the human soul. In Jesus, the Redeemer of the world, God reveals himself by addressing “men and women as friends” (Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum, 2). He is the source of living water, light in the darkness. In the joy of faith, let us therefore proclaim together this evening: “for us, to live is Christ!” Together: for us to live is Christ!

Thanks to him, we can combine missionary zeal with the spirit of fraternity toward those who do not believe in God or who belong to other religious traditions. This fraternity is built on listening and mutual respect, and is rooted in the unity of the human family, which throughout history has expressed the religious dimension as a vital characteristic of every people.

Cultivating a fraternal bond with those who do not share our faith thus contributes to the building of society. Furthermore, it is a way practicing faith and charity, for it is impossible to bear witness to Christ without loving those to whom we wish to proclaim him. The meetings among young people from the Mediterranean region that have taken place in recent years are an encouraging sign of this fraternity.

The Christian message, then, is not an obstacle to fraternal coexistence; on the contrary, it promotes it by inviting everyone freely to listen to a message of peace and salvation. Similarly, our mission is not incompatible with respect for other religions, because the Church does not reject parts of them that are true and holy (cf. Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions Nostra Aetate, 2). Thank you.

Question from François

Holy Father, thank you for coming to strengthen us in our faith and in our desire to bear witness to the Gospel!

My name is François Bigot. I grew up in the countryside of Burgundy and I am currently studying agronomy at UniLaSalle. I love dedicating my time to the beauty of the liturgy. I also serve my Diocese of Nevers by organizing a mountain bike pilgrimage and preparing a new Burgundian pilgrimage. I am a scout leader and active in the chaplaincy ministry at my school.

We young people want to get involved in service to the most vulnerable, to peace in our country and throughout the world, to the Church of Christ! However, it is often difficult to know how to direct our lives so that we can give of ourselves selflessly and faithfully, without becoming dispersed or losing heart, since the task sometimes seems overwhelming. Anxiety and uncertainty often undermine the enthusiasm of our youth. Holy Father, how can we discern where the Lord is calling us to serve and offer our lives?

The Holy Father’s Response

Are there many scouts here? Oh, very good—welcome!

First of all, I would like to thank you for your commitment. It gives me great joy to see so many of you here, driven by a desire to serve the cause of peace — a peace that helps us grow as men and women by transforming fears into hope, and complaint into responsibility. Today, this great mission is more urgent than ever, for it calls us to navigate with discernment the current technological and digital changes, without diminishing our humanity. In particular, when we dedicate ourselves to protecting the youngest and the most vulnerable, we recognize our personal and shared frailty. This fragility, which is inherent in human life, does not frighten us, but unites us as creatures who discover each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. He is the first to give himself to us, and the living sign of this grace is the Eucharist, “the source and summit of the Christian life” (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, 11). It is from this sacrament, which sustains our faith, that we, in turn, draw strength to give ourselves to our neighbor, imitating the selfless love of the Lord Jesus. The pursuit of justice and peace compels us to acknowledge the conflicts we experience within ourselves and to purify our hearts. By committing ourselves to the service of God and others, our wounds then find consolation and redemption.

Throughout the history of the world, there is no failure from which God cannot lift us up, for his mercy is our joy. And yet, you have spoken of anxiety and uncertainty as obstacles to your enthusiasm. These are widespread feelings that arise from the uncertainty of future plans, the transient nature of emotional bonds and the fragility of relationships. Added to these issues are others that weigh heavily on your generation, such as screen fatigue and anxiety about climate change and the international situation. Yes, we must pay close attention to these feelings. I invite all of you, dear young people, to keep your hearts open to the suffering of your peers. At the same time, the experience of fragility, any kind of fragility, can become an opportunity for a disciple of Christ to bear witness. Those who follow Jesus on the path of humble and selfless service are freed from anxiety and find new enthusiasm as they experience inner joy and peace. These feelings are not fleeting or subjective, but are rooted in the certainty of the faith to which we bear witness together as the Church.

Yes, together we form the Church: fragile and holy, like clay jars containing a treasure (cf. 2 Cor 4:7). Saint Paul reminds us once again that it is precisely in weakness that we are strong (cf. 2 Cor 12:10). It is especially in difficult times that God sustains our freedom and encourages us through his grace. He chose to live as a human being so that we might live with him forever, as joyful witnesses to hope.

Dear friends, it is in this friendship with Jesus that our discernment takes place. It is a reflection that begins by invoking the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is a constant effort that enables us to continue forward in an orderly and confident manner.

How can we discern well?

Firstly, remember that the word of the Lord is always a lamp for our steps (cf. Ps 119:105). In the light of the Gospel, spiritual formation involves prayer and service, adoration and action, silence — rare, but necessary, far from the clamor of the media — and proclamation.

Next, draw inspiration from the example of the saints. Even in the face of persecution, these brothers and sisters of ours opened paths of peace. Look to those priests who were passionate about Christ, such as Saint Eugene de Mazenod and Saint John Mary Vianney. Look to the mystical beauty of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus; the fervor in charity and mission of Blessed Pauline Jaricot; and the courage of the fifty martyrs of the apostolate who served their brothers and sisters even to the point of sacrificing their own lives during the Second World War. These saints changed the course of history by leading many people from hardship to hope, since they first changed their own hearts, transforming them in the light of faith.

Dear young people, as you discern your vocation, be assured that the Lord does not speak to us in a confusing way, but calls each of us by name, inviting us to follow him because he loves us. If you embrace his Gospel with an open mind and a pure heart, you will understand how Jesus invites you to serve. It is always a gift of life: full, faithful and overflowing with love. To overcome anxiety or uncertainty, have the courage to say a simple and wonderful word: thank you. Thank you, Jesus, for your love.

That is why now, not with fear but with confidence, and full of joy, we can all say together, following the example of the saints: “Here I am, Lord!” All together: here I am, Lord!

Now I address those among you — and there are many here tonight — who feel called to follow Jesus on the demanding path of the priesthood or consecrated life. The Church in France needs you! She prays for you; she awaits you. Dear friends, do not be afraid of this call. Be bold. Trust in Jesus, who wants to make you his closest friends. He will not disappoint you and will always be by your side. Your life will be beautiful and fruitful.

In conclusion, let us take up this prayer that Saint John Paul II passed on to us: “Master, you who love and respect the human person, you who shared in humanity’s suffering, you who shed light on the mystery of human existence, help us discover the true meaning of our lives and our vocation!” (Homily at Mass for the 12th World Youth Day, Paris, 24 August 1997). Thank you!

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Meditation by the Holy Father

In the night the light shines all the more brightly. Thus, dear young people, we have heard together the words of Saint Paul. We want to hold them high, like a torch that illumines not only our prayers, but the whole history of the Church. The Apostle views his own time and receives divine inspiration, that is, the Holy Spirit, who always opens up bright prospects for the future. Yes, God is the Lord of history, and no matter what happens, he guides its course toward salvation. In Christ, every evil comes to an end, precisely because that end becomes the beginning of a new and eternal life.

Dear friends, in order to shed light on our times and transform the present in the light of the Spirit, let us remember first of all that, like Timothy, we are men and women of God. The expression “of God” used by Saint Paul, signifies a relationship, not possession. Whoever lives with God is free from everything that darkens life, rendering it empty and meaningless. Young people of France, you carry in your hearts an immense desire for freedom, a word that resonates loudly in your culture. But what is the source of true freedom? Jesus clearly reveals it when he tells us that it is the truth that will set us free (cf. Jn 8:32); and that he is the truth (cf. Jn 14:6). Here, then, is the source of true freedom: a living relationship with Jesus.

The Lord’s presence brings wisdom to our plans and beauty to the desires we hold in our hearts. God shines through our souls like a light, inviting us to a constant renewal, calling us to a conversion that gives full meaning to our lives, making us protagonists of a story that moves from confusion to the pursuit of truth, and from indifference to a commitment to justice. Saint Paul expresses this through three verbs that appeal to our freedom: to shun, to strive and to fight.

The Apostle writes to Timothy: first of all, “shun all this,” that is, pride, vanity, violence and greed (cf. 1 Tim 6:4, 11). These are feelings that take hold of us and possess us. The selfishness that characterizes them hides a frightening loneliness. To savor God’s closeness and human fraternity, we must reject desires that consume our relationships without giving anything in return or filling us with things that cannot nourish us. Such a lifestyle drives us to have everything, but to become no one; to receive countless “likes,” but to remain alone with ourselves.

When we decide not to follow that lifestyle, we then begin to strive toward “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness and gentleness” (v. 11). Indeed, those who live with God strive for what is best: they are constantly growing. They seek virtue, namely that inner strength which makes us good and true. Dear friends, the dynamism that drives Christian life has a specific name: the path of holiness. It is the path that the Lord opens before each of us, accompanying us every step of the way. And how many sons and daughters of this beloved land of France have allowed themselves to be led along this path! Consider, for example, Blessed Marcel Callo, a young Frenchman, a boy scout and worker, who in the darkness of the concentration camp never ceased to strive toward the good, maintaining his interior freedom.

As we advance along this path of holiness, it becomes clear that it is not enough merely to shun evil: we must choose the good. This is not an abstract principle, nor is it a self-evident statement. Choosing the good is the proper act of freedom, by which it is realized, refined and matured. To make the right choices, remember this principle: the good gives life; it never takes it away. The good cares for others; it does not take for itself. The good is not simply a nice idea, but the radiant face of love: it is God himself. The virtues that Saint Paul indicates to us as reflections of God’s goodness include justice toward humanity, piety and faith in God, charity toward all, patience toward those who cause our suffering, and gentleness that characterizes those who seek peace with a pure heart. The principles of equality and fraternity that inspire your society find their foundation here. More than legal prescriptions, they are the radical and courageous choices of a free heart. Making these principles our own is not merely a moral commitment; it is choosing to become authentic men and women, free from every compromise.

In this regard, the Apostle gives us a third verb: to fight. Indeed, shunning evil and striving for the good implies fighting. To fight, yes, as Saint Paul did, who is often depicted with a sword in his hand, symbolizing the word of God, “the sword of the Spirit” (Eph 6:17). This verb resonates powerfully here in France, the land of Saint Joan of Arc, a young woman who knew how to fight with courage. But remember that the battle we are called to fight is that of faith, through our commitment to live according to the Gospel, as disciples of Jesus, the Son of God who makes us brothers and sisters. It is in his name that we receive the strength of the righteous to resist temptation. It is in his name that we have the perseverance of the meek to devote ourselves to doing good. Our battle is not a battle against others. It does not employ the weapons of violence, contempt or oppression. Our only weapon is that of self-giving love. Sadly, we know that there are forces that oppose our relationship with God, and powers that seek to divide individuals and peoples by pitting them against one another. These evils do not always unmask themselves in open violence, but at times appear in more insidious forms, for they promise the very thing they take away from us, namely our happiness. When we feel surrounded by their darkness, the light of the Holy Spirit enlightens us and comforts us. And so, tonight, let us choose together the virtues we must cultivate in order to follow the Lord.

We are not alone on this path to holiness, for we walk it united with all our brothers and sisters around us. You are experiencing this yourselves tonight, as happens at great gatherings like World Youth Day. We also have the saints as our allies, supporting us in times of trial. Dear friends, when life’s choices require courage, seek the intercession of the saints and follow their example. As we have sung in the litanies, the encouragement of the saints assures us that we are never alone in prayer, and that we are never alone in the Church. In a particular way, let us now ask for their help to become peacemakers, which is the eternal desire of God for us, and humanity’s constant task. Tonight, I have mentioned some of the saints. Let us also ask Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus to teach us her “little way” of daily love, the solid foundation of every lasting peace.

The Lord realizes this peace through the covenant that he establishes with all of us through the mediation of Jesus Christ. That is why, in pointing out the foundation of our experience of faith, Saint Paul speaks not only of what we can do in response to God, but also of what God does for us. The Apostle sums this up with an image of Jesus before Pilate, the truth of love confronting the hypocrisy of power. The “good fight” thus coincides with the “good confession” (cf. v. 12–13). This is demonstrated by the use of the same adjective kalos, which here means something well done. The work well done, the work that is good, is the redemption that Jesus accomplishes for us. Through his struggle against sin and death, Christ’s victory sets us free. He saves us from all evil and invites us to all that is good.

In this light, let us consider the two relics before us: the tunic and the cross. One was taken from Christ; the other was given to him. Both are signs of his passion. Jesus is stripped of his tunic so that he might clothe us in the white robe, washed “in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev 7:14). In this way, the cross, an instrument of death, becomes a sign of hope. Both the tunic and the cross, therefore, represent us as the Church, born of the life of God given to the world. Dear young people, in order to grow in holiness and improve our society, be radiant witnesses to this Gospel, to the good news that is Christ himself, our Savior: “To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen” (1 Tim 6:16).