WCC NEWS: Hundreds of thousands of youth attend festival in Rome

Hundreds of thousands of youth descended on Rome for the 36th International Youth Festival in Medjugorje, which included a mass by Pope Leo XIV in St Peter's Square.  The young people came from 146 countries, including Lebanon, Iraq, Myanmar, Ukraine, Syria, and South Sudan. Photo: Chady Chata/WCC 05 August 2025 Around a thousand parishes, schools, and families provide accommodation and breakfast for pilgrims in addition to a large hostel capable of hosting about 25,000 people set up at the Fiera di Roma. Pope Leo told young people gathered to "walk together, support each other, and inspire one another.” He urged young people to follow the example of the Virgin Mary by seeking genuine human connection. The Youth Festival, held at the Marian shrine in Medjugorje, Bosnia, and Herzegovina, is running this year from 4-8 August under the theme “We will go to the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1).” Pope Leo described the theme as “evocative of a journey, of a longing that moves us toward God, toward His dwelling place, where we can truly feel at home—because it is there that His love awaits us.” Pope Leo emphasized that our paths are always intertwined with those of others. “We are made for encounter, for walking together, and for discovering a shared goal,” he said. “No one walks alone.”  Pope Leo reminded the young people that no algorithm will ever replace an embrace, a look, a real encounter—not with God, not with our friends, not with our families. “Think of Mary,” he urged. “Rejoice together, and don’t be afraid to weep with those who weep.” In a world marked by cultural and linguistic diversity, Pope Leo called the youth to courage. Because, he said, “there is a language stronger than any barrier: the language of faith, nourished by the love of God.” See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland