Pilgrims from around the world filled St. Peter’s Square on Saturday for a jubilee audience where Pope Leo XIV reflected on the enduring hope found in the cross of Christ.

According to CNA, Pope Leo XIV continued the special jubilee audiences started by Pope Francis during the Church’s Year of Hope, encouraging humility and deeper spiritual awareness through a meditation on St. Mark’s Gospel.

The September 6 event marked the second pontiff to carry forward the jubilee tradition, offering spiritual reflection for believers seeking inspiration during a year focused on hope. Hundreds of faithful gathered early in the Vatican’s central square, where Pope Leo XIV arrived by popemobile, greeting the crowd and blessing infants along his route.

Catechesis Draws From Gospel and Roman History

During his catechesis, Pope Leo XIV focused on Chapter 4 of the Gospel of Mark, using parables to guide the faithful toward spiritual understanding. He emphasized the story of a man who sold all he owned to buy a field containing hidden treasure as a metaphor for the Christian journey toward hope and salvation.

“We must break through the surface,” the pope said, adding that believers must avoid becoming complacent with superficial realities. He underscored the importance of exploring life’s deeper meanings to uncover lasting joy and purpose.

The pope then introduced the theme of the cross, calling it “life’s greatest discovery” and a source of enduring hope. He connected this with Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, esteemed in Church tradition for locating the wooden relic of Christ’s crucifixion.

Pope Highlights Saint Helena’s Legacy

Pope Leo XIV described Helena not only as a seeker of relics but also as a model of Christian virtue. He praised her decision to embrace Christianity and her longtime dedication to charitable works and humility. According to the pope, she never forgot her own modest beginnings, keeping close ties to common people despite her elevated position.

“She never stopped searching,” he remarked. “Her dignity and loyalty to her conscience still have the power to change the world today.” The pope’s mention of Helena offered a historical and spiritual link between the cross and present-day Christian life.

Through her story, Pope Leo XIV illustrated the spiritual journey of believers who are called to search earnestly and love humbly. He encouraged the faithful to follow Helena’s example, committing to conscience and compassion.

Hope Rediscovered in Humility and Faith

Throughout his address, the pontiff returned to the idea that joy and hope can rise when one embraces humility. Using vivid imagery, he spoke of the cross as a treasure hidden "beneath the crust" of daily life, warning that people often miss what is sacred by walking over it without noticing.

“Sometimes we march along, unaware, stepping over what lies beneath,” he said, referring to the cross as a spiritual reality hidden under the routines of modern living. The pope encouraged openness to rediscovering deeper truths through childlike wonder.

He urged Christians to become like children in their faith, saying that only through simplicity and surrender can they enter “another kingdom” and experience “another strength.” Hope, he stressed, grows when pride fades.

A Shared Journey Toward Redemption

Connecting his message to the broader jubilee theme, Pope Leo XIV focused on the cross not as a symbol of pain but one of transformation. “The cross,” he remarked, “is a great treasure and source of hope.”

He reminded the crowd that belief must be rooted in humility. “God is always beneath us,” he said, referencing how human pride often stands between individuals and the grace that seeks to raise them.

The event was met with quiet reverence and reflection, with pilgrims visibly moved by the pope’s words. Many left the audience with crosses or tokens blessed during the gathering, symbolizing a personal call to rediscover hope.

Continuing a Papal Tradition of Renewal

Saturday's audience emphasized not only the spiritual vision of Pope Leo XIV but also continuity with Pope Francis’s initiation of these events during the Church’s Year of Hope. The series invites the faithful to renew their sense of purpose through teachings grounded in Gospel values and historical faith.

By placing the cross at the center of his catechesis, Pope Leo XIV reaffirmed its place not only in theological doctrine but in everyday spiritual practice. His reflection was designed to guide individuals toward greater inner peace and trust in divine love.

As pilgrims departed St. Peter’s Square, many reflected on the message that the cross—so often associated with struggle—is ultimately a sign of life’s most profound and lasting discovery: hope anchored in humility and lifted by grace.