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Pope Leo’s video message for the 1st West African Youth Days
[7–12 September 2026]
Dear young people,
Peace be with you!
I am delighted to join you for the first West Africa Youth Day celebration.
I am pleased by the Episcopal Conferences of your countries’ beautiful initiative to place young people at the heart of their pastoral priorities.
I am convinced that these powerful moments together will help you grow in faith and become enriched by values such as encountering others and being open to them.
At a time when so many crises seem to darken your horizon, I wish to encourage you to move forward without losing hope.
I know the weight of doubt, uncertainty, and insecurity can be overwhelming and throw your plans for the future off course.
However, you are not a sacrificed youth as many may think.
In the Church-Family of God, you represent the present moment of God and the Church!
As Pope Benedict XVI said, “You are rich in qualities, energies, dreams, and hopes—resources that you possess in abundance.
Your youth is a priceless treasure, not only for yourselves, but also for others, for the Church and for the world.”
One of the challenges you face is walking together to help bring about positive change in your societies.
This means ensuring that no one is marginalized, isolated, excluded or rejected.
Be builders of bridges between peoples, cultures and religions.
We must commit to living as Jesus, our Master and Lord, did: including everyone in his journey.
He recognized God’s presence in those on the margins of society, even those not of his own people.
Dear young people,
I am counting on you, and so is the Church.
Through your words and actions, send a powerful message to a world torn apart by wars and conflicts of all kinds.
Be witnesses of love, justice, and peace.
Don’t sacrifice your precious youth on the altar of artificial pleasures and superficiality.
Our deepest questions are neither listened to nor answered by endlessly scrolling on our phones, which capture our attention while leaving our minds tired and our hearts empty.
They won’t get us far if we keep them locked up inside ourselves or within too small of a circle. Realizing our authentic desires always involves going beyond ourselves.”
I entrust you to the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace. I especially keep in my thoughts those countries of yours that sometimes face complex crises.
May she intercede with her Son, Jesus Christ, for the integral human development of your beloved nations.
I invoke an abundance of divine graces upon you, the clergy, and all those who work with young people.
May the Lord keep you always in his love.
May the Lord be with you.
May the almighty Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
