Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

The Solemnity of All Saints, which we celebrate today, invites us to share in the joy of that countless family of men and women who, following the Lord Jesus, have made their lives a gift to God and to their neighbors. Along their different paths to holiness, they have longed for “the ocean of infinite love,” to use a beautiful expression of Pope Benedict XVI (Spe Salvi, 12).

The Liturgy of the Word describes this family as “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” (Rev 7:9). Today, in fact, we celebrate all the saints: those whom the Church has recognized as such as well as the countless others who have not been formally recognized but are known to God. As today’s Gospel reminds us (Mt 5:1-12), they are poor in spirit, yet rich in God’s love. Their faces are streaked with tears, yet they find consolation in prayer. They are meek in the face of violence and rewarded by the Father. They hunger for justice, yet are filled in the depths of their consciences. They are ready to forgive and embraced by mercy. They are disarmed in heart, yet protected by God. They are peacemakers, called by name by God. They are persecuted and insulted, yet strong in faith and charity.

It is indeed true that it is impossible to count this multitude of brothers and sisters, and not just in numerical terms. Holiness, in fact, cannot be reduced to any calculation, for such is the good that all the saints have spread around them in the world. As we admire them, we ask ourselves: what have these people, with God’s grace, brought forth? Essentially, actions and choices of love that transcend the calculations of greed and the arrogance of evil, which at times seems to prevail. The saints are the most beautiful and powerful sign of the Kingdom of God that is coming — or rather, as Jesus teaches us, is already among us (cf. Lk 17:20-21). Moreover, this blessed multitude embraces people from the most diverse backgrounds, cultures and walks of life.  Holiness is not a privilege reserved for a few, but a universal vocation that speaks to each of us where we live. This is the hope-filled message of today’s feast: God sees the good that we do not see, knows stories that we do not know and reaches hearts to which we have no access.

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, blessed because she believed the word of the Lord, accompany us along the path to holiness, so that we may never grow weary of fostering peace, both in the most important situations and in the ordinary circumstances of everyday life.

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After the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters,

Yesterday, in Savannah, Georgia, in the United States of America, Pedro de Corpa and four companions, religious of the Order of Friars Minor, who were killed in odium fidei in 1597, were beatified. Originally from Spain, they responded generously to the Lord's call to evangelize the peoples of the Americas, even to the point of giving their lives. Let us invoke the intercession of these martyrs for all missionaries of the Gospel.

In recent days, a humanitarian operation has been carried out to assist the civilian population in the city of Oleshky. I hope that the cooperation between the parties, which made this necessary humanitarian act possible, will strengthen the desire for dialogue and lead to new concrete peace initiatives.  Let us entrust to Mary, Queen of Peace and of All Saints, all those throughout the world who are suffering because of war.

From yesterday until November 13, the Youth Olympic Games are taking place in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, for athletes aged 15 to 18. This is the first Olympic event to be held on the African continent. In addition to the competitions, these Games include educational and cultural gatherings aimed at promoting Olympic values and fostering understanding among young people from all over the world. Once again, we see a sign of hope coming from the world of sport! I warmly greet and bless all the participants.

From November 8 to 15, the Mission with the Poor, promoted by the Friars Minor, will take place in Rome. I congratulate the sons of Saint Francis who, through this initiative, are placing the poor at the center, as the Lord Jesus did and as Saint Francis of Assisi did. I also thank the civil authorities and law enforcement agencies for their cooperation.

And now I greet all of you, Romans and pilgrims from various countries!

I am pleased to welcome the Syro-Malabar faithful together with their Pastors.  Dear friends, together with you I give thanks to the Lord for the growth of your communities throughout Europe.

I greet the “Capiteo” group from Borbiago di Mira, in the Province of Venice, as well as the participants in the “Race of the Saints,” which the Don Bosco Missions have once again organized in Rome this year to promote sport as an educational experience.

Tomorrow afternoon, on the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, I will celebrate Mass at the Verano Cemetery. During these days, let us feel united in the Communion of Saints with the immense family of our brothers and sisters who have gone before us on our earthly pilgrimage, and let us pray for the departed, especially those whom no one remembers.

Thank you all, and have a happy feast day!