The Vatican on Sunday observed a special Jubilee of the Poor, one of several milestones marking the ongoing holy year that has continued to draw pilgrims from across the world. The celebration coincided with the World Day of the Poor, an annual observance instituted by Pope Francis in 2017.
Pope Leo XIV, now six months into his papacy following his election in May after the death of Pope Francis, used the occasion to reiterate his commitment to social justice—a theme that has defined his leadership so far. During mass at St Peter’s Basilica, the US-born pontiff decried rising global poverty and called on Catholics and world leaders to prioritise the needs of the marginalised.
The Church, he said, is “still wounded by old and new forms of poverty”, yet “hopes to be ‘mother of the poor, a place of welcome and justice’.” He emphasised that addressing both material and spiritual deprivation remains central to the Church’s mission.
Pope Appeals to World Leaders on Behalf of the Poor
Following the mass, Pope Leo was scheduled to share a lunch at the Vatican with homeless people, refugees and persons with disabilities. Across Rome, additional community outreach activities were organised to further highlight the day’s focus on compassion and solidarity with the poor.
In his address, Pope Leo issued a direct appeal to global political leaders, saying, “I urge Heads of State and the leaders of nations to listen to the cry of the poorest.” He warned that “there can be no peace without justice”, noting that the suffering of the poor is often overshadowed “by the myth of well-being and progress that does not take everyone into account, and indeed forgets many individuals, leaving them to their fate.”
Beyond material hardship, the pope also drew attention to “many moral and spiritual situations of poverty”, including isolation and loneliness. He called on believers to “be attentive to others… reaching out to the marginalised and becoming witnesses of God’s tenderness.” AFP
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