From the beauty of Mary to the beauty revealed in everyday love: Pope Leo XIV offered this message on the Marian Feast of the Assumption, during Mass at the local parish in Castel Gandolfo.
As he did last year, the pope celebrated Mass at the parish church, continuing a tradition established by Pope John XXIII. The church was built by Bernini at the request of Pope Alexander VII.
The space inside the church is limited, so most people participated in the Mass from outside. Local officials and community members were among those who made it inside.
In his homily, Pope Leo reflected on Mary's beauty at the Assumption, contrasting it with the image of a person marked by the passing of time.
POPE LEO XIV
As we age, our bodies become less agile and heavier; our skin loses its freshness and shows the signs of aging. Our hair loses its color and shine, turning gray and then white. So, what do we have in common with the beautiful young woman depicted in the altar pieces of our churches?
The glorification of Mary in body and soul teaches us that our true beauty does not lie in hiding the signs of the passing of time, but in revealing, even imprinted on our flesh, the signs of love that never ends.
The pope urged people to question beauty standards shaped by hedonism and consumerism, and instead recognize true beauty in the face of children and the wrinkles of the elderly, in the vitality of young people and the composure of adults.
POPE LEO XIV
Love is humanity's most beautiful adornment: love that transfigures, transforms, ennobles, and lifts us up; that makes us light, free and close to God, even amid life's ups and downs.
Pope Leo XIV emphasized that the sublime mystery of the Assumption is closer than we might think, inviting us to live with the fullness of Mary and share in her glory.
CBM
