Pope Leo Shares Lunch with the Poor, Remembers Victims of War and Hardship

Vatican City, November 17, 2025: On the Ninth World Day of the Poor, Pope Leo XIV shared lunch with around 1,300 guests in the Paul VI Hall, welcoming the poor, the displaced, and those often forgotten by society. The gathering blended Neapolitan music with laughter as volunteers and guests came together in a spirit of fraternity.

The menu was simple and homely: vegetable lasagna, cutlets, fresh fruit from Naples, and babà for dessert. At one table, a Missionary of Charity gently fed a baby while her plate of lasagna cooled.

Earlier, Pope Leo had recited the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square before joining the guests for lunch. “With great joy we gather this afternoon for this meal on this Day that was so dearly desired by my beloved predecessor, Pope Francis,” he said, prompting warm applause. He thanked the Vincentians for preparing the event and praised their service.

As he blessed the food, the Pope urged those present to remember people still suffering around the world. “Let us also offer the Lord’s blessing to the many people who suffer due to violence, war, and hunger,” he said. “May we celebrate this meal in a spirit of fraternity.”

A Hall Filled with Humanity

Vincentian volunteers—marking the 400th anniversary of their founder—moved swiftly among the tables, offering smiles and support. They had prepared a personal-care kit for each guest, along with a small panettone, the traditional Christmas cake.

Guests had travelled from across Rome and from as far as Nigeria, Ukraine, Cuba, and Barcelona. Some mothers sheltered by the Missionaries of Charity, fleeing crisis, attended with their children. At one table, a woman nursed her infant while another sat beside her bedridden toddler.

Stories of Struggle and Hope

A woman from southern Italy shared that she had lost her job after being diagnosed with a disability. “They said I couldn’t handle it,” she said. “I’m sixty now. It’s not easy, but I care about decency—one must always smile.”

Nearby, a woman from Somalia described her long journey of faith after arriving in Rome at age twelve and being baptised in 2010. Though now battling a serious illness, she refuses to give up.

At another table, a woman from Lviv spoke about relatives fighting in Ukraine. “We go on—what else can we do?” she said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever go home again.”

Artist Francesco Cardillo, known as Vardel, shared sketches and hoped to draw something for the Pope. “My house was taken over; I was scammed,” he said. “I came here when Pope Francis was here—now the Pope is new.”

Community at the Centre

Volunteers, Scouts, religious sisters, and laypeople surrounded guests with warmth and solidarity. One woman held a Pinocchio comic book she planned to gift to the Pope. A young Ivorian guest remarked, “It’s beautiful here—you feel at home.”

As the meal ended, Pope Leo encouraged guests to take fruit baskets home and collect a gift at the door, concluding an afternoon marked by compassion, dignity, and shared humanity.

Pope Leo Shares Lunch with the Poor, Remembers Victims of War and Hardship

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