Pope Leo XIV Opens the Season of Creation with Mass at Borgo Laudato si’
Pope Leo XIV celebrated Holy Mass for the Care of Creation on the occasion of the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation and the opening of the Season of Creation.
The celebration took place at 6:30 p.m. in the Madonnina Garden at Borgo Laudato si’, within the Pontifical Gardens of Castel Gandolfo.
In his homily, Pope Leo XIV invited the faithful to rediscover the value of contemplating creation, beginning with the need to pause and listen. “Let us put all the sounds of human activity on ‘silent mode’ so that we can hear the melodious voice of creation,” the Pope said, emphasizing how an encounter with nature can help us recognize the work of the Creator.
The Holy Father then highlighted the transition from contemplation to responsibility. Care for the environment, he explained, cannot be regarded as a secondary concern, because the consequences of the environmental crisis are felt most acutely by the most vulnerable populations. He therefore called for changes in our behaviors and lifestyles, and urged everyone to regard the protection of creation as a shared responsibility.
The celebration in Castel Gandolfo thus marked the beginning of the Season of Creation, which will conclude on , the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. During this period, Christian communities are called to prayer and encouraged to promote initiatives aimed at protecting the environment and fostering a sense of responsibility toward future generations.
At the conclusion of Mass, Pope Leo XIV left the Pontifical Gardens to return to the Vatican.
At Borgo Laudato si’, the evening continued in a spirit of fraternity and fellowship. Staff members of the Laudato si’ Higher Education and Training Centre, together with their families, officials from the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and several representatives of the Roman Curia gathered for a moment of fellowship accompanied by music.
The afternoon concluded with a Mariachi concert by the Mexican group Lira De Oro, helping to crown a day of fraternity shared together amid the beauty of Creation and the natural surroundings of Borgo Laudato si’.