On August 2, 2025 in the evening the Armenian pilgrims took part in the prayer vigil ceremony, which was organized on the area adjacent to the University of Tor Vergata in Rome. All half a million young pilgrims took part in the ceremony.

This event was a unique spiritual experience. Accompanied by sounds of the Jubilee days anthem, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV took a drive on the popemobile among the young people, giving them His paternal blessing. His Holiness reflected on repentance, calling for a deeper trust in God, bringing the example of conversion of St. Augustine and reminding of his consoling and truthful words addressed to God: “Our hearts are restless until they find rest in You”.

Several young people testified on their path of faith and repentance. Holy Communion worship was the most beautiful moment exalting the human soul and ennobling the dialogue between God and man. The worship was accompanied by entrancing spiritual and classical music guided by the sounds of violin.

Half a million young people gathered at Tor Vergata, kneeling in the field, enjoyed the magnificent image of the Holy Body, which was broadcasted from the special tabernacle throughout the whole area by means of huge monitors. This was a wonderful moment giving the young people a real spiritual growth and unifying them.

All of us spent the night in the field reflecting on our life and the reality of God, praying and, of course, singing and dancing joyfully, which scarcely left time for sleeping and thinking about the difficulties of spending a night in a sleeping bag.

The next morning at 7:30 His Holiness took another drive on the popemobile across the entire field, greeting the youth. Everyone was joyfully singing “Papa Leone!” and applauding. At 9:00 the Pope served the summarizing Holy Liturgy with the assistance of numerous archbishops, including His Excellency Kevork Archbishop Noradounguian.

In his sermon His Holiness Pope Leo XIV called on the youth never to be afraid of difficulties, always to hope and to be brave, once again reminding of the Apostle Paul’s words to the Romans: “Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us”. It is the God’s love that gives wings to our hope and courage to withstand difficulties.

Participation in the Holy Communion consecrated by the Pope was another exclusive experience – the culmination of all these days: to be in unity with Christ by the hands and prayer of the successor of St. Peter, to feel oneself an integral part of the one Universal Catholic Church founded by the Lord, sanctifying and raising our national identity, which all the nations are called for.

During the Jubilee week the young people prayed also in other churches of Rome: in front of the relics of St. Agnes, martyred as a child, and St. Monica, the mother of St. Augustine, in front of the tomb of His Holiness Pope Francis in the Basilica of Maria Maggiore. Every morning in their place of residence – in the parish church devoted to His Holiness Pope Leo I, the Armenian pilgrims took part in Holy Liturgies, served by the accompanying clergy, and confessed their sins.

Summarizing of the Jubilee days showed that the young people could overcome difficulties together, experience the moments of spiritual transformation and growth, become closer to each other, experience wonderful moments of joy together, present important evidence of their own faith, national and cultural identity.

Participation of the Armenian youth in the Jubilee days became possible due to the initiative and blessing of His Excellency Kevork Archbishop Noradounguian, due to sponsorship of Kirche in Not, international catholic beneficiary organization, Dicastery for Eastern Churches and US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), to which we express our deep gratitude.

Translated by Gohar Soghomonyan 

Secretariat of the Ordinariate