Dear brothers and sisters, welcome.

I warmly greet Your Eminence, the bishops present, the priests, the men and women religious, and all of you.

You have come to make the Jubilee pilgrimage, a gesture in which the physical sign of the journey symbolizes a far more important spiritual itinerary of conversion and renewal. You have travelled a stretch of the road together, praying and meditating; you have crossed the Holy Door, whose passage, in forgiveness, has marked for each one of you the beginning of a new life; you will soon celebrate the Eucharist, during which you will offer the Lord everything you are and have, united by the Spirit in one body.

You come from a region that is beautiful in many ways: the green heart of Italy, with its lush nature; a treasure trove of art, with its villages and traditions; a land of saints. Each of your communities could tell a unique story in this regard, evoking well-known names and lesser-known stories. Seeing you here together brings to mind the beauty of the Body of Christ in its many-coloured harmony (cf. 1 Cor 12:12-19). The landscapes of your lands reflect this, where creation blends with the work of man and art and nature echo each other.

But above all, they bear witness to the centuries of holiness that your lands have witnessed: mystics and penitents, poets and theologians, silent anchorites, women full of faith and courage, and enthusiastic young people have passed down the same wonderful heritage from age to age: the Gospel of Jesus. It would be difficult to name some without neglecting the others. However, I would like to recall that it was precisely from their river of goodness that the very young Saint who was canonized last Sunday drew inspiration and strength. This is important, because it reminds us that the treasure we have received continues to grow, the vine continues to blossom and bear fruit, the good wine continues to ferment and spread its fragrance.

Saint Paul VI said that “this world in which we live needs beauty in order not to sink into despair” (Message to artists, 8 December 1965, 4), and added: “Beauty … is that precious fruit which resists the wear and tear of time, which unites generations and makes them share things in admiration” (ibid.). You are surrounded by it, in various ways: appreciate it, love it, let it speak to you of God, and in turn become its proclaimers. I invite you to live this Eucharist in the same way: free, united, attentive, in awe, and ready to set out from the Altar as missionaries of love and peace.

I bless all of you and your communities from my heart.

Let us sing the Pater Noster together…

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Holy See Press Office Bulletin, 13 September 2025