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Pope Leo XIV Urges Youth to Register for World Youth Day 2027
· Confirmed
In Short: Pope Leo XIV encouraged young Catholics to register for World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul, South Korea, emphasizing the event's role in fostering faith and unity.
Pope Leo XIV urged young Catholics to register for World Youth Day (WYD) 2027, which will take place in Seoul, South Korea, in a message delivered during the International Congress on School and University Pastoral Ministry at the Vatican on October 22, 2026. The pope emphasized the importance of the event as a pilgrimage rather than just a trip to a new place, encouraging participants to view it as an opportunity to deepen their faith and meet their brothers and sisters in Christ.
In his message, Pope Leo XIV highlighted the significance of the Global Compact on Education, which he relaunched during the Jubilee of the World of Education in 2025. He encouraged educators and pastoral workers to walk alongside young people and help them discover the gifts God has placed within them, drawing a parallel to Jesus’ accompaniment of the disciples on the road to Emmaus.
The pope addressed the “merciless” culture of comparison and ranking young people, urging those involved in pastoral ministry to respond with the trust of Christ, capable of transforming lives just as it transformed the Twelve Apostles. He emphasized the need for a covenant of trust, where someone believes in young people before they believe in themselves.
Pope Leo XIV also addressed the challenges faced by young people today, including wounded families, digital loneliness, feelings of inadequacy, and fear of an uncertain future. He encouraged them to bring all that they are and all that they carry in their hearts, including their dreams, desires, and hopes, as well as their wounds and struggles.
The International Congress on School and University Pastoral Ministry, organized by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education, brought together 1,200 participants from 60 countries. The gathering was inspired by the apostolic letter “Charting New Maps of Hope,” the first apostolic letter of Pope Leo XIV. The pope encouraged participants to help young people become protagonists of a new way of inhabiting the world, builders of fraternity, and a more just society.
In a press release accompanying the pope’s message, the WYD 2027 organizers urged those registering to do so as groups. The organizers highlighted the importance of unity in diversity, noting that despite their differences, young people will experience an even greater sense of unity as members of the one Body of Christ.
Pope Leo XIV also emphasized the role of pastoral ministry in schools and universities, stating that it will be all the more fruitful the more it is centered on the education of the heart. He encouraged educators and pastoral workers to create a home, a familiar place where young people are expected and can grow in faith.
The pope’s message was echoed by participants in the congress, who noted the revival of educational pastoral ministry driven by Pope Leo XIV. They highlighted the importance of the Global Compact on Education and the pope’s decision to relaunch it, which they said has been very important in revitalizing the proposal.
What this adds
The pope’s call for young Catholics to register for WYD 2027 comes as the event approaches its one-year mark, with registration officially opening for the 17th international World Youth Day. The event is expected to showcase the rich and beautiful diversity of languages and cultures, making joyful memories and forming friendships that will last a lifetime.
Background
Pope Leo XIV called on the global Church to pray for peace and support missionaries in remote areas, emphasizing the importance of religious freedom and the role of saints.
Pope Leo XIV has invited Catholics around the world to join him in praying a Rosary for peace on May 30, 2026, and will lead a World Mission Rosary live from the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 7 p.m.
What's confirmed
- Pope Leo XIV urged young Catholics to register for World Youth Day (WYD) 2027, which will take place in Seoul, South Korea, in a message delivered during the International Congress on School and University Pastoral Ministry at the Vatican on October 22, 2026. The pope emphasized the importance of the event as a pilgrimage rather than just a trip to a new place, encouraging participants to view it as an opportunity to deepen their faith and meet their brothers and sisters in Christ.
- In his message, Pope Leo XIV highlighted the significance of the Global Compact on Education, which he relaunched during the Jubilee of the World of Education in 2025. He encouraged educators and pastoral workers to walk alongside young people and help them discover the gifts God has placed within them, drawing a parallel to Jesus’ accompaniment of the disciples on the road to Emmaus.
- The pope addressed the “merciless” culture of comparison and ranking young people, urging those involved in pastoral ministry to respond with the trust of Christ, capable of transforming lives just as it transformed the Twelve Apostles. He emphasized the need for a covenant of trust, where someone believes in young people before they believe in themselves.
- Pope Leo XIV also addressed the challenges faced by young people today, including wounded families, digital loneliness, feelings of inadequacy, and fear of an uncertain future. He encouraged them to bring all that they are and all that they carry in their hearts, including their dreams, desires, and hopes, as well as their wounds and struggles.
- The International Congress on School and University Pastoral Ministry, organized by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education, brought together 1,200 participants from 60 countries. The gathering was inspired by the apostolic letter “Charting New Maps of Hope,” the first apostolic letter of Pope Leo XIV. The pope encouraged participants to help young people become protagonists of a new way of inhabiting the world, builders of fraternity, and a more just society.
- In a press release accompanying the pope’s message, the WYD 2027 organizers urged those registering to do so as groups. The organizers highlighted the importance of unity in diversity, noting that despite their differences, young people will experience an even greater sense of unity as members of the one Body of Christ.
- Pope Leo XIV also emphasized the role of pastoral ministry in schools and universities, stating that it will be all the more fruitful the more it is centered on the education of the heart. He encouraged educators and pastoral workers to create a home, a familiar place where young people are expected and can grow in faith.
- The pope’s message was echoed by participants in the congress, who noted the revival of educational pastoral ministry driven by Pope Leo XIV. They highlighted the importance of the Global Compact on Education and the pope’s decision to relaunch it, which they said has been very important in revitalizing the proposal.
What's still developing
- With less than a year until the next World Youth Day (WYD) in Seoul, South Korea, registration has officially opened.