Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV extended heartfelt condolences on Saturday following the untimely death of 18-year-old Pascale Rafic, an Egyptian pilgrim who had journeyed to Rome to take part in the Jubilee of Youth celebrations.
The Pope met with a delegation of young Egyptian pilgrims who had just arrived for the spiritual event, led by Bishop Jean-Marie Chami, Auxiliary Bishop of the Melkite Patriarchate for Egypt, Sudan, and South Sudan. Tragically, Pascale passed away shortly after reaching Rome, casting a shadow of sorrow over the group’s pilgrimage.
In his address, Pope Leo offered deep sympathy and assured the grieving group of his prayers, invoking divine consolation for Pascale’s family, friends, and fellow pilgrims. Acknowledging the weight of sudden grief, the Pope emphasized the Church’s hope in the Risen Christ. “Even in pain, we gather as a family in faith to remember our sister and to ask the Lord for strength, healing, and renewed hope,” he said.
The Pope described their gathering not merely as a moment of mourning but as an act of unity in faith a chance to renew belief in the promise of eternal life. He reminded the pilgrims that in Christ’s resurrection lies the foundation of Christian hope, the very essence of the Jubilee Year.
Speaking to them in English, Pope Leo encouraged the young people to be living witnesses of the Gospel. “In this Year of Hope, let your sorrow be transformed into strength, your loss into deeper compassion. Let the love of God protect and carry you forward as you live these sacred days of pilgrimage.”
He concluded the meeting with his apostolic blessing, urging the youth to support one another and remain rooted in the unwavering hope of the resurrection.