Pope Leo XIV led a final Mass in Rome for over one million Catholic youths, marking the end of a weeklong encounter with the next generation of the faithful. The event, a highlight of the Jubilee holy year, attracted hundreds of thousands of young people from across the world. The Vatican had confirmed the attendance of 800,000 people in the vast, open-air space on Rome’s eastern outskirts, but by Sunday, it had grown to one million. The young pilgrims, hailing from 146 different countries, filled Rome’s streets since Monday, chanting, singing, and waving flags of their countries. The festive atmosphere reached its peak on Saturday, with an evening vigil presided over by Pope Leo, dubbed a Catholic “Woodstock.” The event came about three months after the start of Pope Leo’s papacy and 25 years after former pope John Paul II organized the last such youth gathering in Rome. The Church planned a series of events for the young pilgrims over the course of the week, including turning the Circus Maximus into an open-air confessional.
Over a million people attended the closing Mass of Pope Leo XIV’s youth Jubilee. Thuy 629
