Pope Leo XIV addressed an estimated 80,000 young people at the Stade de France, located roughly 10 kilometers from central Paris, during a Friday evening prayer vigil on September 25, according to reporting by Jānis Evertovskis. Opening his remarks to the crowd gathered in the French national stadium, the pontiff emphasized that believers are defined by deep interpersonal bonds rather than mere institutional affiliation, urging them to view themselves as “God’s people.”
Stade de France Vigil Draws 80,000
The Source of True Freedom
Addressing the concept of liberty, Pope Leo XIV asked young people to reflect on what genuinely makes a person free. Citing scripture, he pointed to Jesus as the embodiment of truth and the ultimate source of liberation from empty and meaningless lifestyles. According to the pontiff, living in alignment with God pulls individuals out of confusion and indifference, transforming them into active seekers of truth and determined fighters for justice.
Rejecting Modern Isolation and Digital Vanity
The Pope outlined a three-part framework drawn from the Apostle Paul’s instructions to Timothy, using the verbs “avoid, strive, and fight” to define the Christian journey. First, he urged youth to steer clear of pride, vanity, violence, and greed, warning that these traits lead to a frightening isolation. He cautioned against a modern digital culture that encourages young people to accumulate superficial online metrics—such as “likes”—while leaving them fundamentally lonely and emotionally drained.
Pursuing Justice and Shared Virtues
Building on this rejection of superficiality, the second directive asks believers to actively pursue justice, piety, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Pope Leo XIV defined goodness not as an abstract philosophical concept, but as the active face of divine love that brings life and healing rather than taking things away. He noted that these virtues form the moral bedrock for the principles of equality and brotherhood embedded within French society.
The Spiritual Fight and the Little Way
The final pillar of the pontiff’s framework involves a spiritual fight, which he clarified is not a conflict waged against other people using violence or oppression. Instead, he described it as a battle to live out the Gospel, armed only with a self-giving love. No one walks this path alone, the Pope noted, pointing to the support of local communities and the example of the saints.
A Lasting Sign of Hope
Specifically, Pope Leo XIV invoked St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, encouraging the young audience to look to her “little way” of daily love as a firm foundation for lasting peace. Concluding his address at the Stade de France, the pontiff reminded the congregation that the cross has transformed from an instrument of death into a lasting sign of hope and freedom from sin.
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