What motivates so many young people to make a pilgrimage to Rome in the middle of summer? What are they seeking in sharing a week of prayer and witness at the heart of the Church? The Jubilee of Youth 2025 revealed a generation far from apathetic or conformist, that recognizes its thirst for truth, friendship, and mission. The participation of Regnum Christi, with delegations from 16 countries, showed the vitality of a living charism willing to set out on a journey, engage in dialogue with the world, and bear witness to a living faith. The voice of young people, the message of Pope Leo XIV, and their shared journey with Christ shaped a week that will remain engraved in the hearts of many.
For the young people of Regnum Christi, this week was not only a spiritual experience, but also an authentic renewal of the call to evangelize in the charism they have received.
Young people from all over the world gathered in Rome to experience one of the most significant ecclesial events of the Jubilee of Hope 2025: the Jubilee of Youth. Initially, half a million people were expected to attend, but the fervor, enthusiasm, and witness of a living and hopeful Church exceeded all expectations, with one million people attending the closing Mass. Among them were more than 1,500 young Regnum Christi members from 16 countries.
A week to meet and walk together
The Jubilee of Youth, celebrated from July 29 to August 3, was a spiritual and ecclesial journey at the heart of the Church. Regnum Christi began its participation with an international youth gathering on July 28 at the International College of the Legionaries of Christ. In an atmosphere of prayer, hope, and joy, a Eucharistic Hour was celebrated, followed by live music and testimonies that prepared the young people for the community experience of the following days.
A group from the youth section from Chile emphasized that Regnum Christi youth seek to live the love of Christ and spread joy. From the youth section in Brazil, it was significant to see the unity and family spirit experienced at a gathering like this, as well as the ability to evangelize together according to the different cultures. A group from the youth section in Mexico showed how all the young people present were united around Christ and shared the peace that was transmitted by praying together .
On July 29, everyone gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica for the welcoming Mass. A celebration marked by fervor, youthful joy, and a spirit of unity. While the Mass was presided over by Bishop Rino Fisichella, Pro-Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization, the Holy Father was present to address all the young people present: “Today marks the beginning of a series of days, a journey, the Jubilee of Hope, and the world needs messages of hope; you are this message, and you must continue to give hope to everyone,” said the Pope.
For Ana Mercedes Medina and Mariana Nájera from Mexico, experiencing the Jubilee was the “joy of being able to share the Eucharist, which is the most important thing for everyone. Despite so many different languages, the Mass unites us all. ” Franco Saldívar, also from Mexico, never expected to experience this, “I thought it would be something more ‘local,’ but everything has exceeded my expectations, especially being able to see the Pope.” Regarding the youth section from Argentina, they commented, “Passing through the Holy Door in St. Peter’s was a very beautiful experience, seeing the grandeur of the Basilica and being inspired to pray. Everything is grand and all for the glory of God.” Blanca Martín from Spain said, “These days of the Jubilee are a great opportunity to strengthen our faith, knowing that God is always with us and listens to us.”
For Huguette Turcot , a Consecrated Woman of Regnum Christi , “Seeing so many young people makes me very happy and proud of Regnum Christi. This week I have thanked God for our spiritual family. The young people show us that they are here with all their enthusiasm.” Father Sebastián Sánchez, a Legionary of Christ priest , said that “Seeing so many young people from different parts of the world is living what we are: internationality, the desire to reach out to others and find them where they are, in their reality, to bring them in and help them experience Him.” Noé Robertos , a Lay Consecrated Man of Regnum Christi , comments that the Jubilee is “a great opportunity to share our faith with both believers and non-believers. The Church is a family, and in Regnum Christi we also reach out to those who are far away and even to those who are close, but to be a family.”
Several members of ECYD and Regnum Christi carried out the “Street Faith “ apostolate in the streets of Rome these days. They invited people to write their prayer intentions on paper. They also invited them to enter one of Rome’s churches where the Eucharist was exposed for adoration. Priests were also available to administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation. At the end of the day, they received the Eucharistic blessing.
Where is your brother?
On Wednesday the 30th , Pope Leo XIV held his traditional General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, where he addressed the theme of the healing of the deaf-mute, ” Dear brothers and sisters, let us ask the Lord that we may learn to communicate with honesty and prudence. Let us pray for all those who have been wounded by the words of others. Let us pray for the Church, that she may never fail in her task of bringing people to Jesus, so that they may hear his Word, be healed by it, and in turn become bearers of his proclamation of salvation,” said the Pope.
That same day, Regnum Christi also held a day of social commitment. At the European University of Rome , the event “Where is Your Brother?” was organized, a space for dialogue and inspiration guided by the Social Doctrine of the Church. This forum served to deepen the understanding that social commitment is not optional, but an essential part of a living faith. Young people from different cultures shared experiences of volunteering, missions, social projects, and entrepreneurship with a human impact. It was reaffirmed that faith must be translated into concrete action on behalf of those most in need.
Father Enrique Tapia, LC, a Spanish priest currently working in Mexico, commented during this forum on the training workshops on the current social reality and personal response from faith that “ the Pope insists a lot on peace, on the cessation of wars, on the unity of Christians, on the challenge of artificial intelligence… one that is human, that respects the values of the Gospel. Today there are many challenges ahead, but these are the greatest for the moment.”
Confession as an encounter with grace
On Friday, August 1, participants experienced Penitential Day at the Circus Maximus. Thousands of young people participated in the Sacrament of Confession in a climate of silence, contemplation, and openness to God’s forgiveness. For many, this day represented an experience of grace that reaffirmed their sense of divine mercy and God’s personal love.
The Vigil: A Friendship That Changes the World
On the evening of Saturday, August 2, at Tor Vergata , the young people of Regnum Christi joined the prayer vigil presided over by Pope Leo XIV , along with young people from around the world. In an atmosphere of silence, spiritual depth, and listening, three young people from Mexico, Italy, and the United States asked the Pope questions about authentic friendship, the courage to decide, and the yearning for what is good and true.
For Alejandra Martins and Merce Medina, both from Mexico, “it is exciting to participate in a first vigil with Pope Leo XIV, all united in the same sense of Christ.” A group of young people from Italy emphasized the importance of “living these moments with the entire Regnum Christi family and with the Pope, as a family, as a Church, and as young people.”
Asked about true friendship, Pope Leo XIV responded that “ human relationships are indispensable” and that only “genuine relationships and stable connections can build good lives.” Drawing on the wisdom of St. Augustine, he affirmed: “there is no friendship that is authentic if that is not in Christ.” Faced with a culture of fleeting connections and illusory relationships fostered by social media, the Pope encouraged young people to cultivate a friendship that reflects their bond with Jesus: “Friendship is the path to peace.”
Regarding the value of decision, Leo XIV stressed that “decision is a fundamental human act” and that we learn to choose when we recognize that we have been chosen by God: “We are not the fruit of our own decision, but of a love that has chosen us.” He invited everyone not to fear radical decisions, such as marriage, the priesthood or consecrated life, since “these decisions give meaning to our lives, transforming them into the image of perfect Love.”
Finally, regarding the call to goodness and to encounter the Risen Lord, the Pope affirmed that Jesus is “the friend who always accompanies us in the formation of our conscience” and that we encounter him in the Word, in the Eucharist, in service to the poor, and in the communion of the Church. “Indeed Lord you are our good, ” the Pontiff affirmed, inviting young people to be witnesses of justice and hope for the world.
The Closing Mass
The culmination of this Jubilee for Young People was the Mass presided over by Pope Leo XIV in the same setting of Tor Vergata . Before more than a million young people, the Holy Father offered a homily in which he returned to the image of the disciples of Emmaus to speak of the transforming encounter with the risen Christ. ” Fragility is part of the wonder that we are, ” he affirmed, explaining that human beings are not made for absolute firmness, but for a life that is constantly regenerated in love and self-giving. “We are not made for a life where everything is taken for granted and static, but for an existence that is constantly renewed through gift of self in love. This is why we continually aspire to something “more” that no created reality can give us; we feel a deep and burning thirst that no drink in this world can satisfy. Knowing this, let us not deceive our hearts by trying to satisfy them with cheap imitations! Let us rather listen to them! Let us turn this thirst into a step stool, like children who stand on tiptoe, in order to peer through the window of encounter with God. We will then find ourselves before him, who is waiting for us, knocking gently on the window of our soul (cf. Rev 3:20).”
“In recent days, you have had many beautiful experiences. You have met other young people from different parts of the world and from diverse cultures. You have exchanged knowledge, shared expectations and entered into dialogue with the city through art, music, technology and sport. At the Circus Maximus, you also approached the Sacrament of Penance and received God’s forgiveness, asking for his help to live a good life,” said Pope Leo XIV.
Addressing a generation often dismissed as superficial, Pope Leo XIV forcefully declared: “We should not be alarmed, then, if we sense an inner thirst, a restless, unfulfilled longing for meaning and a future […] We should not be lethargic, but alive!” He invited young people to look upward, toward “heavenly things,” and not to settle for less than holiness. “the fullness of our existence does not depend on what we store up or, as we heard in the Gospel, on what we possess. Rather, fullness has to do with what we joyfully welcome and share.”
To conclude his homily, the Pope commented that hope will not be disappointed because “the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.” He concluded by encouraging young people to continue walking joyfully, bearing witness to their faith and spreading hope to the world.
Regnum Christi on the Move
For the young people of Regnum Christi, this week was not only a spiritual experience, but also a true renewal of the call to evangelize based on the charism they have received. Participating in times of prayer, reflection, and service with young people from around the world is an invitation to live their faith with greater conviction.
Many are now returning to their countries with the commitment to build more supportive communities, to be a leaven, and to live their faith with joy. From a section in Argentina, two young people share that “we have witnessed a living Church and our first encounter with Pope Leo XIV. Seeing thousands of young people kneel before Christ in the Eucharist gives meaning to everything we have experienced these past few days.”
You can see the photo albums of the various events on the Regnum Christi International Flickr .