Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has said that no baptized person is excluded from the mission of the Church, as he released his message for the 100th World Mission Day, which will be celebrated on October 18 under the theme “One in Christ, united in mission.”

In his message, Pope said the Church is called to be a community in mission, serving fraternity among all people and harmony with creation. He noted that in a world marked by conflict and division, the Gospel must be proclaimed by hearts shaped by peace and reconciliation.

Pope explained that mission begins with union with Christ. He said Christianity is not mainly about practices or rules, but about living in communion with Christ and with one another. According to him, the Church’s identity flows from the Trinity and is meant to promote unity among human beings and care for creation.

He stressed that unity within the Church is not only for its own sake, but is necessary for mission. When believers live in communion, the proclamation of the Gospel becomes more powerful and credible. For this reason, he encouraged stronger spiritual and fraternal unity among Christians and called for deeper ecumenical cooperation between different Christian Churches.

Pope Leo also underlined that mission belongs to all the baptized. He said every person, according to their vocation and way of life, takes part in the work Christ entrusted to the Church. Echoing the teaching of Pope Francis, he described evangelization as a communal and synodal action carried out together.

Pope said love is the heart of evangelization. The Gospel, he explained, is not an abstract idea but the message of God’s faithful love made visible in the life of Jesus Christ. He recalled the witness of martyrs, missionaries and countless believers who gave their lives to make this love known.

He said the world still needs courageous witnesses of Christ and the Church needs new missionary vocations. He asked the faithful to pray for young and adult people willing to dedicate their lives to spreading the Gospel.

Concluding his message, Pope Leo offered a prayer asking God to unite the Church in Christ, strengthen missionaries in their work and make believers instruments of peace. He entrusted the mission of the Church to Mary, Queen of Missions, and prayed that the whole world may recognize Christ as the light that saves.