Pope Leo XIV welcomed a group of Spanish pilgrims to the Vatican during the Octave of Christmas, expressing gratitude for their journey and encouraging them to follow Christ by learning from the faithful witness of the saints. The pilgrims came from the Parish of Santo Tomás de Villanueva in Alcalá de Henares, Spain, traveling nearly 1,180 miles to Rome.
The Holy Father thanked the group for their prayers and generosity, acknowledging the spiritual support they offer to the universal Church through their pilgrimage. He noted that such journeys are physical acts of devotion, as well as visible signs of a deeper desire to walk closely with Christ and to remain rooted in the life of the Church, especially during the sacred season of Christmas when the mystery of the Incarnation is still being celebrated.
Turning his attention to the patron of their parish, Pope Leo reflected on the life and legacy of St. Thomas of Villanova, the Spanish Augustinian bishop whose example continues to speak to the Church today. He explained that the saint’s openness to God’s action allowed him to bear lasting fruit both for the Church and for the society in which he lived. This interior openness, the Pope emphasized, remains essential for all Christians who seek to live faithfully in their own time.
The Holy Father highlighted the efforts of Alcalá de Henares to preserve the memory and spiritual heritage of St. Thomas, noting that such remembrance helps keep the saint’s virtues alive within the community. Among those virtues, Pope Leo underscored the saint’s profound interior life, marked by constant prayer and a holy restlessness to remain in God’s presence. This deep prayerfulness, he explained, enabled St. Thomas to listen attentively to God’s word and to respond with fidelity and generosity.
Pope Leo also reflected on the saint’s tireless work, describing it as a challenge to a modern world that often seeks ease, speed, and comfort. The steady labor, simplicity, sobriety, and apostolic zeal of St. Thomas offer a correction to that mindset, reminding the faithful that authentic service requires perseverance and self-gift. Through such virtues, Christians are better able to recognize the gifts entrusted to them by God and to place those gifts at the service of the wider community.
As the audience drew to a close, Pope Leo encouraged the pilgrims to continue their journey of faith with confidence, following Christ and allowing the example of the saints to guide and strengthen them. He entrusted them to the care of the Blessed Virgin Mary, invoking God’s blessing upon them and praying that Our Lady would always accompany them on their path of discipleship.