Pope Leo celebrated the largest event yet of his nearly three-month tenure on Sunday (August 3), encouraging a crowd of more than a million Catholic young people gathered in a field on the outskirts of Rome to spread their faith.
Amid shouts of "Viva il Papa" (Long live the Pope) from young people dressed in colourful t-shirts and waving national flags at the Tor Vergata field, Leo led a Mass that capped a special week of events meant to energize Catholic youth.
"Dear young people ... spread your enthusiasm and the witness of your faith to everyone you meet," the pope said during his sermon for the event.
Leo also lamented the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine in an appeal at the end of the Mass, and called on the youths to help create a better world.
Many of the youths attending the event spent the night outside in the field, to be ready for the pope's arrival at 7:45 a.m. (0545 GMT) in advance of heat expected to reach 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) later on Sunday.
Sunday's Mass was part of a week-long series of events in Rome for Catholic youth, tied to the ongoing Catholic Holy Year.
Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, was elected on May 8 by the world's cardinals to replace the late Pope Francis.