Good weather made it possible for the usual general audience to be held in St. Peter’s Square. Pope Leo XIV rode on the popemobile through the aisles for several minutes, greeting and blessing pilgrims on the opening day of Lent.
This is of course no ordinary day—marking the beginning of the journey toward Easter, the Church also commemorates Ash Wednesday.
During the audience, the pope continued his catechetical series on the Second Vatican Council, focusing on the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium, which centers on the unity of the faithful in the Church.
POPE LEO XIV
To come together to celebrate, having believed in the proclamation of the Gospel, is experienced as being drawn by the cross of Christ.
On a day that recalls the true nature of human frailty, in which the faithful are reminded that they will one day turn back to dust, the pope emphasized that humanity cannot rebuild unity on its own, but can only do so through Jesus Christ.
Besides fasting and penance, the Lenten journey toward Easter is also a journey of reconciliation and unity, between man and God and between each human person.
