In a stirring display of pastoral warmth and spontaneity, Pope Leo XIV thrilled more than 120,000 young Catholics the evening of July 29 by appearing unannounced at the opening ceremony for the 2025 Jubilee of Youth. 

Emerging in his popemobile as the sun dipped behind St. Peter’s Basilica, the Holy Father was met with cheers and chants of “This is the youth of the Pope,” echoing throughout the square.

“Buona sera, buenas tardes, good evening.” Pope Leo greeted the crowds, adding in English. “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.”

The youthful crowd, gathered from across the globe, had just concluded Mass celebrated by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, who hinted that a special surprise was imminent. That surprise was Pope Leo himself — smiling, waving, and visibly moved by the sea of exuberant faces and fluttering flags.

During his brief but heartfelt address, Pope Leo offered a message of hope and mission to the young pilgrims. 

“The world needs messages of hope. You are this message, and must give hope to everyone,” he said, switching seamlessly between Spanish, English, and Italian. “We want peace in the world. We want peace in the world!”

The Pope’s presence marked his first major engagement with youth as pontiff. Earlier that day, Pope Leo met with Catholic digital influencers, including priests, religious, and lay people who evangelize through social media, as CatholicVote reported.

Singing, praying, and joyful groups of scouts, parish delegations, and school groups are expected to reach 500,000 by Sunday’s closing Mass for the Jubilee for Youth, according to Archbishop Fisichella in a previous report from Vatican News. The outlet reported that 370 churches, 400 school buildings, gyms, and quite a few families will open their doors to house the young people.

The atmosphere evokes memories of World Youth Day, the tradition Pope Saint John Paul II began in 1985. The 2025 Jubilee of Youth is an intermediary event between World Youth Day in Lisbon in 2023 and Seoul in 2027.