Pope Leo XIV went to the Roman Cemetery of Verano to celebrate Mass in commemoration of All Souls’ Day.
During the homily, the pontiff emphasized the idea that although our loved ones have passed away, “we always carry them with us in the memory of the heart.”
POPE LEO XIV
Orig. Italian
And every day, in everything we live, this memory is alive. Often, there are many things that remind us of them, images that bring us back to the moments we shared with them. Many places, even the scents of our homes, speak to us of those we have loved and who have left us, yet their memory continues to burn brightly within us.
The cemetery in question is one of the oldest in the Italian capital and one of the most emblematic in the entire country; it is the site of the Catacombs of Saint Cyriaca.
Pope Leo insisted that Christian faith is the key tool that fills everyday life with hope.
POPE LEO XIV
Orig. Italian
This ‘future hope’ inspires our remembrance and our prayer on this day. It is not an illusion meant to ease the pain of separation from our loved ones, nor a mere human optimism. Rather, it is the hope founded on the resurrection of Jesus, who has conquered death and opened for us, too, the way to the fullness of life.
With these words, Pope Leo encouraged all families who have lost a loved one, reminding them that the resurrection is the “final harbor,” and that “charity triumphs over death, and through it, we will all be reunited with our loved ones.”
AT
Trans. CRT
