Pope Leo XIV Calls Christians to Build Unity Through Sacrifice and Forgiveness

Vatican City, June 29, 2025 : On the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Pope Leo XIV urged Christians to pursue unity founded on shared witness and the transformative power of forgiveness, addressing pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the Angelus prayer.

Reflecting on Christian unity, conversion, and martyrdom, the Pope recalled the roots of the Church of Rome, built upon the testimony and blood of the Apostles Peter and Paul. He paid tribute to their enduring legacy, linking it to the sacrifices made by Christians worldwide who continue to suffer and even die for their faith in Christ.

“We can speak of an ecumenism of blood,” Pope Leo XIV declared, emphasising that unity is forged not merely through theological dialogue but through the shared suffering of believers across denominational lines.

He highlighted the “unseen yet profound unity among Christian Churches that are not yet in full and visible communion,” describing it as central to his episcopal mission. “The Church of Rome,” he said, “is committed by the blood shed by Saints Peter and Paul to serving in love the communion of all Churches.”

Turning to the day’s Gospel, the Pope underscored that Jesus, not Peter, is the true rock of the Church. “He is the rock rejected by the builders, whom God made the cornerstone,” he said.

He noted how the Papal Basilicas of Peter and Paul, now iconic symbols of Christian identity, once stood at the edges of Roman society. “Outside the Walls,” he said, evoking the traditional Roman phrase, is where their witness took root, reminding the faithful that Gospel greatness often begins in places the world deems insignificant.

Pope Leo XIV cautioned that following Christ means embracing the difficult path of the Beatitudes. He observed that poverty of spirit, meekness, and a thirst for justice frequently meet with resistance, yet it is along this challenging path that God’s glory shines. “God’s glory shines forth in his friends and continues to shape them along the way, passing from conversion to conversion,” he said.

He stressed that sainthood emerges not from perfection, but from forgiveness. “The New Testament does not conceal the errors, conflicts and sins of those whom we venerate as the greatest Apostles,” the Pope noted, adding, “their greatness was shaped by forgiveness.”

Echoing Christ’s constant outreach to Peter and Paul, the Pope affirmed that God continues to call each person repeatedly. “That is why we can always hope. The Jubilee is itself a reminder of this,” he said.

Pope Leo XIV concluded by urging the faithful to become artisans of unity, starting within families and local communities. “Unity in the Church and among the Churches is fostered by forgiveness and mutual trust,” he said. “If Jesus can trust us, we can certainly trust one another in his name.”

He ended the Angelus with prayers to the Virgin Mary and Saints Peter and Paul, asking that the Church might be “a home and school of communion” in a world still scarred by wounds and division.

Courtesy: Vatican News