Pope Leo XIV on Sunday issued a powerful appeal to world leaders and Catholics across the globe, urging them not to abandon the poor as the Catholic Church marked a special “Jubilee of the Poor.”
The US-born pontiff, now six months into his papacy after succeeding the late Pope Francis in May, has made social justice and care for the marginalized central themes of his leadership. Celebrating Mass at St Peter’s Basilica, he warned that the Church itself remains “wounded by old and new forms of poverty,” yet must continually strive to be “a mother of the poor, a place of welcome and justice.”
The Jubilee of the Poor is one of several events being held during the Catholic Church’s ongoing holy year. Its observance this year coincided with the World Day of the Poor, first established by Pope Francis in 2017 to draw international attention to economic injustice and social exclusion.
Following the mass, Pope Leo XIV shared lunch with more than 1,300 homeless, disadvantaged, disabled people and refugees inside the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall. He blessed a meal of lasagne and cutlets as similar community activities for the poor unfolded throughout Rome.
“Listen to the Cry of the Poorest”
In his message delivered inside St Peter’s, Pope Leo XIV urged global leaders to prioritize justice and human dignity.
“I urge Heads of State and the leaders of nations to listen to the cry of the poorest,” he said.
“There can be no peace without justice, and the poor remind us of this in many ways—through migration, and through their cries, which are often silenced by the myth of progress that does not include everyone.”
He warned that beyond material poverty, millions suffer from “moral and spiritual poverty,” leading to deep loneliness and social isolation.
The pontiff called on the faithful to show compassion in action— “to be attentive to others, reaching out to the marginalised and becoming witnesses of God’s tenderness.”
Addressing crowds in St Peter’s Square during the Angelus prayer, Pope Leo also condemned ongoing persecution and attacks against Christians worldwide. He named several countries — Bangladesh, Nigeria, Mozambique and Sudan — where believers continue to face violence.
He expressed particular sorrow over renewed brutality in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where at least 20 civilians were massacred in Kivu in recent days.
“I accompany the families in prayer in Kivu,” he said.
Local officials told AFP that the attack, attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) — a group that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in 2019 — left at least 18 people dead. The assault struck a remote village roughly 300 kilometres north of Goma between Friday night and Saturday.
Observers note that Pope Leo XIV has continued the strong humanitarian legacy of Pope Francis, placing the poor, migrants, and victims of violence at the center of his global mission. His repeated appeals for justice, peace and inclusion signal a papacy deeply concerned with the widening inequalities shaping the 21st century.
