Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has said that participation in the Sunday Eucharist is indispensable for Christian life, describing it as the foundation that sustains faith and strengthens believers.
Speaking during the Regina Caeli prayer on April 12 in St Peter Square, Pope reflected on the Gospel of Divine Mercy Sunday, focusing on the encounter of the Apostle Thomas with the risen Jesus. He noted that this meeting took place within the Christian community, pointing to where believers are called to encounter Christ today.
Pope encouraged the faithful to reflect on their own journey of faith, raising questions about how people can recognise and believe in the risen Lord. He acknowledged that faith is not always easy, saying it was difficult even for Thomas, and remains a challenge for many today. Because of this, he stressed that faith needs constant nourishment.
He explained that the Church invites Christians to gather every Sunday, described as the eighth day, to celebrate the Eucharist. During the Mass, believers listen to the Word of God, pray together, profess their faith and receive the Body and Blood of Christ, which nourishes them to become witnesses of the Resurrection.
Pope underlined that Sunday Mass is not optional but essential for Christian living. He recalled the example of the Martyrs of Abitene, who chose to die rather than give up the celebration of the Lord’s Day, insisting that they could not live without it.
He added that the Eucharist is where faith grows stronger and where believers are united as one body. In this celebration, human efforts are joined with God’s grace as part of a greater plan of salvation for all humanity.
Pope also highlighted the missionary meaning of the Mass, explaining that it calls Christians to go out into the world. He urged the faithful to carry what they receive in the Eucharist into their daily lives by becoming witnesses of charity and messengers of reconciliation.
Concluding his message, Pope Leo XIV said that in a world deeply in need of peace, Christians are called more than ever to remain faithful and committed to their encounter with the risen Lord in the Eucharist.