More than 600 children filled the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican for a joyful and deeply moving encounter with Pope Leo XIV. The group included participants from the “Estate Ragazzi in Vaticano” summer camp as well as around 300 Ukrainian children and adolescents welcomed to Italy through the charitable efforts of Caritas Italiana.
Following the conclusion of his formal morning audiences, Pope Leo made time to meet personally with the children. Greeted first by the summer camp’s young volunteers, he engaged with the group warmly, taking their questions and offering thoughtful, pastoral answers. He shared memories from his own childhood, recalling how his earliest friendships and encounters with the community happened around the altar during Mass. There, he said, he met not only other children, but “the best friend of all: Jesus.”
The Holy Father then turned his attention to the Ukrainian children in attendance, speaking directly to them in English. His words were simple but powerful: “It is important to build bridges, to create friendship. We can all be friends, brothers, and sisters.” In the context of displacement and war, his message of peace and unity carried special weight. He acknowledged the pain of their experiences and encouraged them to become builders of peace, even from a young age.
“Do not enter into war or conflict. Never promote hatred or envy,” Pope Leo urged. “Jesus calls us all to be friends.” His appeal wasn’t merely about ending violence; it was a call to embrace each person with dignity, seeing in every other face a brother or sister. In a world so often defined by division, the Pope’s insistence on mutual respect and compassion struck a chord with the children and adults alike.
As a gesture of gratitude and love, the children presented the Pope with handmade crafts, drawings, and artwork. More than simple tokens, they were signs of the beauty that can emerge from young hearts, even amid hardship. Ukrainian children offered drawings that reflected both their struggles and their hopes, while campers from the Vatican’s summer program proudly displayed the fruit of their week’s creativity.
Before concluding the encounter, Pope Leo gathered the group in prayer, inviting them all to join in the Hail Mary. With heads bowed and voices united, this moment of collective prayer became the heart of the event—a tangible reminder that no matter our background or nationality, we are children of the same God. Pope Leo then offered his apostolic blessing, sealing the encounter with grace.
In a world where children too often suffer the consequences of adult conflicts, this visit was a vivid counter-witness: a Church that gathers them close, listens, blesses, and offers friendship rooted in Christ. As Pope Leo reminded everyone present, peace begins not in policies, but in the hearts of the young.