Continuing the special Saturday, June 14, Jubilee audiences initiated by his predecessor, Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV welcomed athletes and sports professionals to St. Peter’s Basilica for the Jubilee of Sport, inviting them to reflect on hope, unity, and the deeper meaning of athletic activity in Christian life.
Focusing his catechesis on St. Irenaeus of Lyon, Leo described him as a witness to hope and a powerful teacher of unity.
He reminded participants that “Jesus is not a wall that separates, but a door that unites us.”
Speaking to a crowd of professional and amateur athletes, coaches, sports managers, and their families, Leo encouraged them to build bridges, open doors, and promote communion, echoing the theme of the Jubilee Year: Pilgrims of Hope.
“We are pilgrims of hope because among individuals, peoples, and creatures, someone must decide to move toward communion,” he said.
The Holy Father highlighted the role of sport as a tool for peace, inclusion, and solidarity, adding that it is a powerful space where authentic Christian values can be practiced and shared.
He said, “Our deepest hopes challenge us to make the world of sports an arena where Christian values can be exercised and communicated to others for the building of a better world.”
Drawing from the example of St. Irenaeus, who journeyed from Asia Minor and helped establish the faith in Europe, Leo also reflected on the enduring contributions of migrant communities in keeping the Gospel alive in today’s world.
He concluded by encouraging all participants, including those attending the International Motorbike Rally in Rome, to become “missionaries of hope”, working to foster solidarity, acceptance, and fraternity through their presence and witness in the sporting world.
The Jubilee of Sport featured a Festival of Sport, moments of reflection on “hope and sport,” and concluded with Holy Mass with Leo XIV on Sunday morning, celebrating the unity of faith and athletic excellence under the spirit of the Jubilee Year.
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