Pope Leo XIV has blessed more than 2,500 seminarians who have converged in Rome this week.
Drawn from 57 countries, ranging from Albania to Argentina, India to Italy, the United States to Ukraine, the seminarians came to the Eternal City to pray at the tomb of St. Peter and to take part in the Jubilee of Seminarians, reports the Catholic News Agency (CNA). The Vatican estimated that the number of seminarians taking part could have been as high as 4,000.
“Thank you for courageously accepting the Lord’s invitation to follow him, to be disciples, to enter the seminary. You have to be courageous and not be afraid,” Pope Leo XIV told the predominately young men gathered in St. Peter’s Basilica, and who represent the future leadership and pastorship of the Catholic Church, on 24 June.
