Pope on All Souls’ Day: God Has Opened for Us the Way to Eternal Life

Vatican, 3 November, 2025: Pope Leo presided over the Mass for the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed at Rome’s Verano Cemetery, reminding the faithful that “Christian faith, founded upon Christ’s Paschal mystery, helps us to experience our memories as more than just a recollection of the past but also, and above all, as hope for the future.” Later, he visited the crypt of Saint Peter's Basilica to pray privately for the deceased Popes.

In his homily, the Pope reflected on how Christian hope transforms remembrance into faith-filled anticipation. “God will destroy death forever. Indeed, he has already conquered it, opening for us the way to eternal life by passing through the valley of death during his Paschal mystery. Thus, united to him, we too may enter and pass through the valley of death,” he said.

He spoke about the memory of the departed: “Although they left us on the day when they died, we continue to carry them with us in our hearts, and their memory remains always alive within us amid our daily lives.” Recalling how familiar places or even the fragrance of home can awaken memories of loved ones, the Pope said these recollections keep their presence alive.

He reminded the faithful that All Souls’ Day is not merely a time of mourning but one of forward-looking faith. “Christian faith, founded upon Christ’s Paschal mystery, helps us to experience our memories as more than just a recollection of the past but also, and above all, as hope for the future.” This hope, he emphasised, “is not an illusion for soothing the pain of our separation from loved ones, nor is it mere human optimism. It is the hope founded on the Resurrection of Jesus who has conquered death and opened for us the path to the fullness of life.”

Turning to the theme of divine love, Pope Leo called Christ “the destination of our journey” who “guarantees our arrival, leading us home, where we are awaited, loved and saved.” Eternal life, he said, will be “an encounter of love” — the same love through which God created us, redeems us, and desires us to live forever with Him and our loved ones. “Love conquers death. In love, God will gather us together with our loved ones. And, if we journey together in charity, our very lives become a prayer rising up to God, uniting us with the departed,” he said.

Concluding his reflection, the Pope invited everyone to place their trust in God’s promise: “Let us fix our gaze upon the Risen Christ and think of our departed loved ones as enfolded in his light. Let us allow the Lord’s promise of eternal life to resound in our hearts. He will destroy death forever.” He added, “May this promise sustain us, dry our tears, and raise our gaze upwards toward the hope for the future that never fades.”

Earlier in the afternoon, Pope Leo arrived at Verano Cemetery accompanied by Cardinal Vicar Baldo Reina and city officials. At the entrance, he paused before an old family tomb, laid a bouquet of white roses, and prayed briefly for all the departed.

The Mass concluded with the Prayer for Eternal Rest, after which the Pope imparted his blessing to those present. Upon returning to the Vatican, he prayed in the crypt of Saint Peter’s Basilica for the deceased Popes.

Courtesy: Vatican News