Pope Leo XIV Reflects on Memory, Resurrection, and Hope During Angelus Address

Speaking before a large crowd in St. Peter’s Square on the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, Pope Leo XIV offered a message of remembrance and hope, inviting the faithful to look toward the future with hearts rooted in the promise of resurrection. His words carried a tone of quiet reflection, linking the celebrations of All Saints and All Souls as two parts of the same spiritual truth — that every life, though fragile, is held within God’s infinite love.

The Pope reflected on the meaning of these early November days, when the Church turns its gaze toward those who have gone before us. He reminded listeners that the resurrection of Jesus illuminates the destiny of every human being, ensuring that no life is ever lost in the eyes of God. Quoting from the Gospel of John, he recalled Christ’s assurance that none of those entrusted to Him will be forgotten, emphasizing that God’s deepest desire is that all people find their place in eternal life.

Describing the communion of saints as a harmony of differences united in divine love, the Pope said that each soul carries a unique beauty that reflects the boundless creativity of God. He spoke of humanity’s longing for recognition and joy, connecting it to the Christian hope of eternal life, which he described not as endless time but as complete immersion in infinite love. This vision, he said, gives meaning to every act of remembrance and every moment of prayer for the departed.

Pope Leo reflected tenderly on memory as a gift that keeps life connected across generations. He warned that without remembering Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, even the beauty of daily living can fade into forgetfulness. Yet, through faith, even those whose names have been lost to history remain known and cherished by God.

He reminded the faithful that from the earliest days, Christians have remembered the dead during the Eucharist, offering prayers that all might share in the fullness of life. Visits to cemeteries, he said, should be moments of silence and reflection, not of despair but of expectation. As he concluded, Pope Leo encouraged believers to look forward, not backward, affirming that remembrance is not a retreat into the past but a celebration of the eternal future promised in Christ.

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