ROME: Pope Leo XIV concluded the Jubilee of Youth pilgrimage with a monumental mass attended by over one million young Catholics. The week-long event, a highlight of the Vatican’s Jubilee holy year, saw half a million pilgrims in Rome throughout the week.
On Saturday evening, an estimated 800,000 people gathered for a twilight vigil led by the pope. By Sunday, the Vatican confirmed attendance had surged to one million. Many pilgrims slept outdoors in tents, sleeping bags, or on mats under clear skies in anticipation of the final mass.
The ceremony began with a choir and green-robed bishops assembling on a grand stage adorned with a golden arch and towering cross. Pope Leo XIV arrived by helicopter to lead the service, joined by 450 bishops and 700 priests.
The event underscored the global reach of the Catholic Church, drawing young worshippers from around the world.
The Jubilee of Youth, a rare gathering of this scale, highlighted the Vatican’s efforts to engage younger generations in faith. – AFP