At Chrism Mass, Pope Urges Priests to Spread Christ’s Fragrance Where Death Reigns

At the Chrism Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV called on priests to bring Christ’s presence into places marked by suffering and despair, urging them to “spread the fragrance of Christ where the stench of death reigns,” Vatican News reported.

Presiding over the liturgy on Holy Thursday, the Pope was joined by hundreds of bishops and priests who renewed their ordination promises ahead of the Easter Triduum. In his homily, his first Chrism Mass as Bishop of Rome, he reflected on three key dimensions of the Christian mission: detachment, encounter, and the acceptance of misunderstanding and rejection.

According to Vatican News, Pope Leo XIV stressed that mission begins with detachment, calling priests to move beyond comfort and security in order to serve God’s people more freely. Letting go of what is familiar, he said, allows ministers to rediscover God’s grace at work in new and often challenging contexts.

“There is no peace without setting out, no awareness without detachment, no joy without risk,” the Pope said, as cited by Vatican News.

The Holy Father then highlighted encounter as central to priestly ministry, warning against forms of domination or misuse of power in both pastoral and social settings. Instead, he encouraged a style of mission rooted in humility, dialogue, and respect.

Quoting Vatican News, the Pope said authentic evangelization is marked by “quiet, unobtrusive approaches,” where priests share in the lives of the people they serve through selfless service rather than strategy or control.

He reminded clergy that they are “guests” wherever they go, called to respect the dignity and mystery of every person and community, especially in increasingly secularized societies.

Finally, Pope Leo XIV pointed to misunderstanding and rejection as an inevitable part of the Christian vocation. As Vatican News reported, he described this as the most radical aspect of mission, inviting priests to embrace the cross as a path to transformation.

Even in the face of failure or opposition, the Pope urged clergy to trust in God’s grace, which sustains them in difficult and unforeseen circumstances.

“In this dark hour of history,” he said, according to Vatican News, “it has pleased God to send us to spread the fragrance of Christ where the stench of death reigns.”

The Pope concluded by encouraging priests to renew their commitment to unity and mission, emphasizing that their ministry can bring healing and hope to a world wounded by conflict, injustice, and spiritual emptiness