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St Peter's SquareSunday, 14 June 2026 ___________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Sunday! Today’s Gospel (Mt9:36–10:8) brings us a great gift, for it draws all who hear it into Jesus’ gaze: it is a story that bears witness to the attentiveness of this gaze, as well as telling us what the Lord sees. We read, in fact, that Christ “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless” (v. 36). Having become our brother, th…

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIVTO SPAIN(6-12 JUNE 2026) HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV Basilica of the Sagrada Família (Barcelona)Wednesday, 10 June 2026 _______________________________ “Senyor, sobirà nostre, que n’és, de gloriós, el vostre nom per tota la terra!” (Ps 8:1). With the praise of this psalm, so full of joy and wonder, I greet all of you, dear brothers and sisters. I express my gratitude to their Majesties. I thank Cardinal Juan José Omella, Archbishop …

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIVTO SPAIN(6-12 JUNE 2026) HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia (Barcelona)Tuesday, 9 June 2026 _______________________________ With great joy I begin my visit by praying Midday Prayer together with you in this Cathedral. The Second Vatican Councildefines the Divine Office as “the voice of the bride herself addressed to her bridegroom” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 84) and “the prayer which Christ hims…

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIVTO SPAIN(6-12 JUNE 2026) HOLY MASS, PROCESSION AND EUCHARISTIC BLESSINGIN THE SOLEMNITY OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST “Plaza de Cibeles” (Madrid)Sunday, 7 June 2026 _______________________________ Your Eminences and Your Excellencies,Dear priests, men, women religious,Your Majesties,Dear brothers and sisters, As I beginmy visit to Spain, it is with a heart filled with joy that I preside over this celebration on the Solemnity of Corpus Chri…

St Peter's BasilicaSunday, 24 May 2026 ________________________________________ The Easter season reaches its fulfillment today on the Solemnity of Pentecost. To highlight the continuity of this salvific event, the Gospel takes us back to the “first day of the week” (Jn20:19), that is, to that new day on which the risen Jesus appeared to the disciples, showing them “his hands and his side” (v. 20). The Lord reveals his glorious body, specifically his wounds, the marks of the crucifixio…

PAPAL MASS FOR THE FUNERAL RITES OF CARDINAL EMIL PAUL TSCHERRIG Altar of the Cathedra of St Peter's BasilicaFriday, 15 May 2026 ________________________________________ Gathered around the Altar, let us accompany our brotherPaul Emil Tscherrig, Cardinal, as he presents himself before the Lord to receive the reward for the good he has done in this life and forgiveness for the failings that human frailty may have caused. This is the great and solemn moment of his encounter with the Lord, whom…

PALM SUNDAY: PASSION OF THE LORD –COMMEMORATION OF THE LORD’S ENTRANCE INTO JERUSALEM AND HOLY MASS St Peter's SquareSunday, 29 March 2026 As Jesus walks the Way of the Cross, we place ourselves behind him, following in his footsteps. As we walk with him, we contemplate his passion for the sake of humanity, his broken heart, and his life as a gift of love. We turn our gaze to Jesus, who reveals himself asKing of Peace, even as war looms around him. He remains steadfast in meekness, while …

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY OF HIS HOLINESS LEO XIVTO THE PRINCIPALITY OF MONACO Louis II StadiumSaturday, 28 March 2026 The Gospel we have heard (cf.Jn11:45–57) recounts the cruel sentence issued against Jesus; it tells us of the day when the members of the Sanhedrin “planned to put him to death” (v. 53). Why does this happen to him? It is because he raised Lazarus from the dead, restoring life to his friend, at whose tomb he had wept, sharing in the grief of Martha and Mary. Jesus, who came into…

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY OF HIS HOLINESS LEO XIVTO THE PRINCIPALITY OF MONACO CELEBRATION OF MIDDAY PRAYER WITH THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITYHOMILY OF POPE LEO XIV Cathedral of the Immaculate ConceptionSaturday, 28 March 2026 We have an advocate before God: Jesus Christ, the righteous one (cf.1 Jn2:1-2). With these words, the Apostle John helps us to understand the mystery of salvation. In our weakness, weighed down by the burden of sin that marks our human condition, incapable by our own efforts of embrac…

Parish of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Ponte Mammolo (Rome)4thSunday of Lent, 15 March 2026 Our Eucharistic celebration today, more than ever, is filled with joy. Indeed, the beauty of our gathering today is set against the backdrop of the Sunday known as “Laetare”, meaning “rejoice”, taken from the words of Isaiah: “Rejoice with Jerusalem” (Entrance Antiphon, cf.Is66:10). This gives us cause to reflect. At present, many of our brothers and sisters throughout the world are suffering …

Parish of "S. Maria della Presentazione" (Rome)3rdSunday of Lent, 8 March 2026 I am happy to be with you on this third Sunday of Lent. It is an important stage in our following of Jesus, leading up to His Passion, death and Resurrection at Easter. On this journey, God’s proximity and our life of faith are deeply intertwined: by renewing in each of us the grace of Baptism, the Lord calls us to conversion, even as He purifies our hearts with His love and with the works of charity He asks us to…

Parish of the "Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rome)2ndSunday of Lent, 1stof March 2026 I am pleased to be with you and to be able to listen, together with you, to the Word of God with your entire parish community. This Sunday presents us with Abraham’s journey (cf.Gen12:1-4) and the event of Jesus’ Transfiguration (cf.Mt17:1-9). Like Abraham, we can all recognize ourselves as being on a journey. Life is a journey that requires trust, it requires reliance on the Word of God who calls …

Parish of the“Sacred Heart of Jesus," Castro Pretorio (Rome)1stSunday of Lent, 22 February 2026 A few days ago, with therite of Ash Wednesday, we began the Lenten journey. Lent is an intense liturgical period, which offers us the opportunity to rediscover the wealth of our Baptism, to live as creatures fully renewed thanks to the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus. The first Reading and the Gospel, which we have heard, in dialogue with each other, help us to rediscover the gift of …

HOLY MASS, BLESSING AND IMPOSITION OF ASHES Basilica of Saint Sabina on the Aventine HillAsh Wednesday, 18 February 2026 At the beginning of each liturgical season, we joyfully rediscover the grace of being Church, namely a community gathered to listen to the word of God. The voice of the Prophet Joel speaks to us, bringing each of us out of our isolation and showing us the urgent need for conversion, which is always both personal and public: “Gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; as…

Parish of “Mary Queen of Peace" (Ostia Lido)6thSunday in Ordinary Time, 15 February 2026 It is a source of great joy for me to be here and to experience with your community the gesture from which “Sunday” takes its name. It is “the Lord's Day” because the Risen Jesus comes among us, listens to us and speaks to us, nourishes us and sends us forth. Thus, in today’s Gospel, Jesus announces his “new law”: not only a teaching, but the strength to put it into practice. It is the grace…

FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD30thWORLD DAY FOR CONSECRATED LIFE St Peter's BasilicaMonday, 2 February 2026 Dear brothers and sisters, today, on this Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, the Gospel recounts how Simeon and Anna recognized and proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah in the Temple (cf.Lk2:22-40). What unfolds before us is a meeting between two movements of love: that of God, who comes to save his people, and that of humanity, which awaits his coming with vigilant faith. On the …

SOLEMNITY OF THE CONVERSION OF SAINT PAUL CELEBRATION OF SECOND VESPERS59thWEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY Basilica of St Paul outside the WallsSunday, 25 January 2026 In one of the Scripture passages we have just heard, the Apostle Paul refers to himself as “the least of the apostles” (1 Cor15:9). He considers himself unworthy of this title because he had once been a persecutor of the Church of God. Nevertheless, he is not a prisoner of that past, but rather a “prisoner in the Lordâ…

FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORDHOLY MASS AND RITE OF BAPTISM OF BABIES Sistine ChapelSunday, 11 January 2026 When the Lord enters history, he comes with an open and humble heart to meet each person. He seeks our gaze with his own, full of love, and enters into dialogue with us, revealing the Word of salvation. By becoming man, the Son of God opens a surprising possibility for everyone, inaugurating a new and unexpected time – one that even the prophets had not fully foreseen. John the Bapt…

St Peter's BasilicaThursday, 8 January 2026 _________________________________ “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God” (1Jn4:7). The liturgy sets this exhortation before us as we celebrate the Extraordinary Consistory, a moment of grace wherein our unity in the service of the Church finds its expression. As we know, the word Consistory (Consistorium, or “assembly”) can be understood through the root of the verbconsistere, meaning “to stand still.” Indeed, all o…

SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORDCLOSING OF THE HOLY DOOR AND HOLY MASS Saint Peter's BasilicaTuesday, 6 January 2026 The Gospel (cf.Mt2:1-12) described for us the great joy the Magi experienced when they saw the star once again (cf. v. 10), and at the same time how Herod and all in Jerusalem were troubled by their searching (cf. v. 3). Indeed, every time Sacred Scripture speaks of God manifesting himself, it does not hide the contrasting reactions, such as joy and agitation, resistance an…

HOLY MASS ON THE SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD Saint Peter's BasilicaThursday, 1stJanuary 2026 Today, on the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, at the beginning of the new civil year, the Liturgy offers us the text of a beautiful blessing: “May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace” (Num6:24-26). In the Book of Numbers, this blessing follows the instructions regard…

St Peter's SquareSunday, 31 May 2026 ________________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! The Easter season concluded last week with theSolemnity of Pentecost. Today, we celebrate the Mystery of the Triune God, which offers us the opportunity to reflect on the journey we have made. We begin with God’s life which was given to us in Christ Jesus. This life is a dynamic, inexhaustible and faith communion that draw us in. Indeed, the Spirit who unites the Father and…

St Peter's SquareSunday, 24 May 2026 ________________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! On thisSolemnity of Pentecost, we are called to contemplate the gift of the Holy Spirit, which was poured out in abundance upon the early Church and is bestowed anew upon its members today, granting us light and strength throughout our everyday circumstances. Let us reflect on an image of the Spirit that today’s liturgy sets before us: the Spirit opens doors. The Gospel, i…

St Peter's SquareSunday, 17 May 2026 ________________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! In many countries throughout the world, the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord is celebrated today. The image of Jesus –– lifted up from the earth and ascending toward heaven, as the Bible states (cf.Acts1:1-11) –– may cause us to think about this Mystery as a distant event from long ago. Yet this is not so, for we are united to Jesus as the members of one body u…

St Peter's SquareSunday, 10 May 2026 ________________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! In today’s Gospel, we hear some of the words Jesus addressed to his disciples during the Last Supper. As he turns the bread and wine into a living expression of his love, Christ says: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (Jn14:15). This statement frees us from the misconception that we are loved because we keep the commandments, as if our righteousness were a…

St Peter's Square5thSunday of Easter, 3 May 2026 ________________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! During the Easter season, like the early Church, we return to the words of Jesus, which reveal their full meaning in the light of his passion, death and resurrection.  What once eluded the disciples or caused them distress now comes back to their minds, warms their hearts and fills them with hope. The Gospel proclaimed this Sunday presents the Master’s dialogue…

St Peter's Square4th Sunday of Easter, 26 April 2026 ___________________________________ Brothers and sisters, good afternoon and happy Sunday! As we continue our journey through the Easter season, today’s Gospel presents us with Jesus’ comparison of himself to a shepherd and also to the gate of the sheepfold (cf.Jn10:1–10). Jesus draws a contrast between the shepherd and the thief. Indeed, he says that “anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way…

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY OF POPE LEO XIVTO ALGERIA, CAMEROON, ANGOLA AND EQUATORIAL GUINEA(13–23 April 2026) Kilamba (Angola)Sunday, 19 April 2026 ___________________________________ We will now join in prayer to Mary,Regina Caeli, Queen of Heaven, sharing with her – our Mother and companion on our journey – the joy of the Resurrection. With this joyful song, we do not wish to erase or stifle the cries of those who suffer, but instead to embrace and unite them with our own voices in a new har…

St Peter's SquareSunday, 12 April 2026 ___________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday and happy Easter once again! Today, on the Second Sunday of Easter, dedicated to Divine Mercy by Saint John Paul II, the Gospel recounts the appearance of the risen Jesus to the Apostle Thomas (cf.Jn20:19–31).  This event took place eight days after Easter, while the community was gathered together.  There, Thomas encountered the Master, who invited him to look at the marks of …

St. Peter's SquareEaster Monday, 6 April 2026 ___________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, Christ is risen! Happy Easter! This greeting, filled with wonder and joy, will accompany us throughout this week. As we celebrate the new day the Lord has made for us, the liturgy proclaims the entry of all creation into the time of salvation: in the name of Jesus, the despair of death is swept away forever. Today’s Gospel (Mt28:8–15) calls us to choose between two accounts: that …

St Peter's SquarePalm Sunday, 29 March 2026 ___________________________________ At the beginning ofHoly Week, our prayers are more than ever with the Christians of the Middle East, who are suffering the consequences of a brutal conflict and, in many cases, are unable to observe fully the liturgies of these holy days. Just as the Church contemplates the mystery of the Lord’s Passion, we cannot forget those who today are truly sharing in his suffering. Their ordeal challenges all our conscienc…

St. Peter's SquareSunday, 22 March 2026 ___________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, good morning! On this Fifth Sunday of Lent, the liturgy proclaims the Gospel of the raising of Lazarus (cf.Jn11:1-45). In the Lenten journey, this is a sign that speaks of Christ’s victory over death and of the gift of eternal life, which we receive through Baptism (cf.Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1265). Today Jesus also says to us, as he did to Martha, Lazarus’s sister: “I am th…

St Peter's SquareSunday, 15 March 2026 ___________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! The Gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday of Lent narrates the healing of a man blind from birth (cf.Jn9:1–41). Through the symbolism of this account, John the Evangelist speaks to us of the mystery of salvation: while we were in darkness, while humanity walked in gloom (cf.Is9:2), God sent his Son as the light of the world, to open the eyes of the blind and illuminate our live…

St Peter's SquareSunday, 8 March 2026 ___________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! Since the first centuries of the Church’s history, the dialogue between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, the healing of the man born blind and the resurrection of Lazarus illuminate the path of those who, at Easter, will receive Baptism and begin a new life. These great Gospel passages, which we read beginning this Sunday, are intended for the catechumens to help them on their jo…

St Peter's SquareSunday, 1stMarch 2026 ___________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! Today’s Gospel paints a radiant picture for all of us as it recounts the Transfiguration of the Lord (cf.Mt17:1-9). In this depiction, the Evangelist draws on the Apostles’ memories, portraying Christ between Moses and Elijah. The Word made flesh stands between the Law and the Prophecy: he is living Wisdom, who brings every divine word to fulfillment. Everything that God has…

St Peter's Square1stSunday of Lent, 22February 2026 ___________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! Today, on the First Sunday of Lent, the Gospel tells us about Jesus who, led by the Spirit, enters the desert and is tempted by the devil (cf.Mt4:1–11). After fasting for forty days, he feels the weight of his humanity: physically, through hunger, and morally, through the devil’s temptations. In this, he experiences the same struggle we all face on our journey. …

St Peter's SquareSunday, 15February 2026 ___________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! Today we hear a part of the Gospel passage of the “Sermon on the Mount” (cf.Mt5:17-37). After having proclaimed the Beatitudes, Jesus invites us to enter into the newness of the Kingdom of God. In order to guide us on this journey, he reveals the true meaning of the precepts of the Law of Moses. They are not meant to satisfy an external religious need of feeling “righteo…

St Peter's SquareSunday, 8February 2026 ___________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! After proclaiming the Beatitudes, Jesus addresses those who put them into practice, saying that thanks to them the earth is no longer the same and the world is no longer in darkness. “You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world” (Mt5:13-14). Indeed, it is genuine joy that gives flavor to life and brings to light something that was not there before. This …

St Peter's SquareSunday, 1stFebruary 2026 ___________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! Today’s liturgy proclaims a beautiful passage from the Good News that Jesus announces to all humanity: the Gospel of the Beatitudes (Mt5:1-12). These are, in fact, lights that the Lord kindles in the darkness of history, revealing the plan of salvation that the Father accomplishes through the Son, with the power of the Holy Spirit. On the mountain, Christ gives his discipl…

St Peter's SquareSunday, 25 January 2026 ___________________________________ Brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! After his baptism, Jesus began his preaching and called his first disciples: Simon, who is called Peter, his brother Andrew, and James and John (cf.Mt4:12-22). Reflecting more closely on this scene from today’s Gospel, we can ask ourselves two questions. The first concerns thetimingof Jesus’ mission, and the second regards theplacehe chose to preach and to call his apostles. We…

St Peter's SquareSunday, 18 January 2026 ___________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! Today’s Gospel reading (cf.Jn1:29-34) speaks to us about John the Baptist, who recognized Jesus as the Lamb of God, the Messiah, proclaiming: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (v. 29). He adds: “I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel” (v. 31). John recognized Jesus as the Savior; he proclaimed Jesus’ divinity…

FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD St Peter's SquareSunday, 11 January 2026 ___________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! The feast of the Baptism of Jesus, which we celebrate today, anticipates the beginning of Ordinary Time. This liturgical season will invite us to follow the Lord together, to listen to his Word and to imitate his gestures of love towards others. In doing so, we confirm and renew our Baptism, the sacrament that makes us Christians, freeing us f…

SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD Central Loggia of the Vatican BasilicaTuesday, 6 January 2026 ___________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, good afternoon! During this holy season we have celebrated several feast days. Today’sSolemnity of the Epiphany, as its name suggests, shows us what makes joy possible even in difficult times. As you know, the word “epiphany” means “manifestation,” and our joy indeed comes from a Mystery that is no longer hidden. The life…

St Peter's Square2nd Sunday in the Season of Christmas, 4 January 2026 ___________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! On this Second Sunday after theNativity of the Lord, I wish first to renew my good wishes to all of you. The day after tomorrow,with the closing of the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica, we will conclude theJubilee of Hope. The very mystery of Christmas, in which we are still immersed, reminds us that the foundation of our hope is God’s Inca…

SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD59thWORLD DAY FOR PEACE St Peter's SquareThursday, 1stJanuary 2026 ___________________________________ Dear brothers and sisters, happy New Year! While the rhythm of passing months repeats itself, the Lord invites us to renew our times by finally ushering in an era of peace and friendship among all peoples. Without this desire for the good, there would be no point in turning the pages of the calendar and filling our diaries. The Jubilee, which is about to end…

Saint Peter's SquareWednesday, 3 June 2026 Catechesis. The Documents of the Second Vatican Council. III. Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium.3. Rite, sign and symbol As we continue our catechesis on the Conciliar ConstitutionSacrosanctum Concilium(SC), we wish to pause and reflect on some of the fundamental elements of the sacred liturgy, such as the rite, the sign and the symbol. The Second Vatican Council, building on the valuable work of the Liturgical Movement, has helped us to rediscover…

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIVTO SPAIN(6-12 JUNE 2026) HOLY MASSSOLEMNITY OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS HOMILY HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV The Port of Santa Cruz de TenerifeFriday, 12 June 2026 _______________________________ It is a blessing to come together on this day when the Heart of Jesus reveals itself to us as the heart of history.  I am happy to celebrate the Eucharist with you, giving thanks for the abundant witnesses of faith and charity I have experienced on this Ap…

Saint Peter's SquareWednesday, 27 May 2026 Catechesis. The Documents of the Second Vatican Council. III. ConstitutionSacrosanctum Concilium.2.The reform of the liturgy: tradition and development Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome! In the EncyclicalMediator Dei, theVenerable Pius XIIwrites that “the Church is without question a living organism, and as an organism, in respect of the sacred liturgy also, she grows, matures, develops, adapts and accommodates herself to temporal…

Saint Peter's SquareWednesday, 20 May 2026 Initial Greeting of the Holy Father to His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you. Brothers and sisters, I am very happy to welcome His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church, together with the distinguished delegation accompanying him. This fraternal visit represents an important opportunity to strengthen the bonds of unity that alre…

Saint Peter's SquareWednesday, 13 May 2026 Catechesis. The Documents of the Second Vatican Council. II. Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium.9. The Virgin Mary, model of the Church Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome! The Second Vatican Councilchose to dedicate the last chapter of the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church to the Virgin Mary (cf.Lumen gentium, 52-69). She “is hailed as a pre-eminent and singular member of the Church, and as its type and excellent example in fait…