By Charles Igwe
In a stirring homily delivered before the arrival of Pope Leo XIV at the Jubilee of Youth opening Mass, Archbishop Rino Fisichella challenged young pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square to embrace their identity as living witnesses of the Risen Christ.
Reflecting on the day’s Gospel, the Italian prelate and Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization emphasized the core of the Christian journey: “The Evangelist tells us very clearly: faith is an encounter — an encounter, however, that we do not begin ourselves.”
Addressing the sea of youthful faces, Archbishop Fisichella issued a clear invitation: “Never be afraid to be witnesses of the Risen Christ, because this is what makes us believers, Christians.”* He went further to underline that such witness must go beyond mere words: “Christ is risen and we have seen Him; we believe in Him. But this witness also becomes action.”
Concluding his homily, he echoed the words of Pope Leo from the previous Sunday, reminding the pilgrims why they had journeyed to Rome: “To encounter Christ — that is why I await you. To encounter Christ and be strengthened by Him in faith and in the commitment to follow Him with integrity.”
The message, simple yet profound, laid the foundation for what promises to be a deeply transformative week for the young faithful gathered for the Jubilee of Youth.
