Pope Leo XIV has said that authentic Marian spirituality reveals the tenderness of God and shows how love can transform both history and personal life.
Speaking during a Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square attended by about 30,000 pilgrims, the Holy Father reflected on the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the life of the Church.
Through Mary’s example, he said, the Church can recognize “the revolutionary nature of love and tenderness” — a love that reaches the poor, the wounded, and sinners.
“Mary’s path follows that of Jesus, leading us to encounter every human being,” the Pope said. “Authentic Marian spirituality brings God’s tenderness — his way of being a mother — to light within the Church.”
The Pope emphasized that devotion to Mary, deeply rooted in Scripture and tradition, has “changed the face of the earth forever.” He encouraged believers to renew Marian devotion as a means of spiritual transformation in a world in need of peace and justice.
“Let us use Marian devotions as a driving force for renewal and conversion,” he said. “This Jubilee calls us to reflection, restitution, and liberation.”
Pope Leo cautioned against practices of faith that isolate believers or create division. “Some forms of worship do not foster communion,” he said, urging Catholics to imitate Mary’s humility and compassion instead of judgment and exclusion.
“In her, we see that humility and tenderness are not virtues of the weak but of the strong,” he said. “She brings a homely warmth to our pursuit of justice.
After the homily, the Pope stood before the original statue of Our Lady of Fatima, brought from Portugal to St. Peter’s Square, and dedicated the Church and the world to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
“Obtain for us the gift of peace that we earnestly implore,” he prayed. “Mother of the Church, welcome us kindly so that under your mantle we may find refuge and strength in the trials of life.”
Before leading the Angelus, Pope Leo expressed solidarity with those suffering in conflict zones, including the peoples of Israel and Palestine, Ukraine, and Peru.
He welcomed recent peace efforts in the Holy Land, calling them “a spark of hope,” and encouraged leaders “to continue courageously toward a just and lasting peace.”
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