At his General Audience, Pope Leo XIV reflects on the Church as the People of God, calling all to unity, peace, and shared witness in a divided world.
Newsroom (11/03/2026 Gaudium Press ) In a profound catechesis delivered at St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday morning, Pope Leo XIV continued his reflection on Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution of the Second Vatican Council, focusing on its second chapter dedicated to the “People of God.” Speaking before thousands of pilgrims and visitors, the Holy Father offered a rich theological meditation on how God acts in history to form a people united not by culture or nation, but by faith in Christ.
“The identity of this people,” Pope Leo explained, “is given by God’s action and by faith in Him.” Drawing upon biblical imagery, he recalled how God first chose Abraham, promising him descendants as “numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore.” Through Abraham’s children, liberated from slavery and bound by covenant, God revealed a vocation to live as a sign and a light for all nations.
The pontiff cited Lumen Gentium to underline that these early saving acts were only a prelude to the new and perfect covenant realized in Christ. “It is Christ,” he affirmed, “who in giving His Body and His Blood, unites this people in Himself.” The Church, therefore, is not merely another community or institution, but the living Body of Christ, composed of men and women “from every nation,” animated by the Spirit of the Risen One.
Pope Leo highlighted that the Church’s unity is not rooted in “a language, a culture, or an ethnicity,” but solely in faith in Jesus. Quoting the Council, he described the Church as “the assembly of all those who in faith look upon Jesus.” This vision, he said, calls the faithful to remember that their greatest dignity lies not in status or office, but in being children of God by grace.
“The law that animates relationships in the Church is love,” he said, emphasizing that the Church’s goal is the Kingdom of God, “towards which she walks together with all humanity.” For the Pope, this universal orientation prevents the Church from turning inward. It must be open to every person, carrying the Gospel “everywhere and to everyone” so that all may encounter Christ.
Reaffirming the Council’s vision, he noted that even those who have not yet received the Gospel are in some way oriented toward the People of God. “There must be a place for everyone,” he insisted, urging Christians to live as witnesses of hope in their families, workplaces, and societies. In this openness, the Church reveals her catholicity—embracing diverse cultures, purifying and uplifting them through the Gospel’s transforming power.
Citing theologians Henri de Lubac, Yves Congar, and Joseph Ratzinger, the Pope portrayed the Church as “the unique Ark of Salvation” that gathers all human diversity into one body. “A great sign of hope,” he said, “is to know that within the Church, women and men of every language, culture, and nation live together in faith.” In an era marked by war and division, he continued, the Church stands as a prophetic sign of unity and peace, “placed in the very heart of humanity.”
A Plea for Peace in Lebanon and the Middle East
At the conclusion of the audience, Pope Leo made an emotional appeal for peace following the death of Father Pierre El Raii, a Maronite priest killed amid renewed violence in southern Lebanon. Calling him “a true shepherd,” the Pope recounted how Father El Raii died while aiding parishioners wounded in a bombing. “May the blood he shed be a seed of peace for beloved Lebanon,” he prayed.
Extending his concern to the wider region, the Pope called for continued prayer “for peace in Iran and throughout the Middle East, especially for the many civilian victims, including many innocent children.” His words sought to console the suffering and inspire hope, reminding the faithful that prayer itself is a work of mercy and solidarity.
Greetings to English-speaking Pilgrims
In his greetings to English-speaking visitors, Pope Leo welcomed groups from Denmark, Australia, and the United States, expressing his hope that Lent would be “a time of grace and spiritual renewal.” He invoked “joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ” upon all those present.
The moment captured the heart of the Pope’s message: a Church that endures not as an institution confined by borders, but as a global people—children of God, united in faith, walking together toward a destiny of peace.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican.va
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