Pope Leo XIV to 60,000 young people in Lima: 'Don't settle for living by what others expect of you'

Pope Leo XIV to 60,000 young people in Lima: 'Don't settle for living by what others expect of you'.

Pope Leo XIV told tens of thousands of young people at Lima's National Stadium on Thursday evening not to let others define their lives, urging them to discover the good that only they can do, during a prayer vigil on the second full day of his visit to Peru.

"Don't settle for living according to what others expect of you," the pope said, according to a transcript published by Infobae. He said God made each of them capable of a good "that no one else can do in exactly the same way." The Vatican put the crowd at 60,000 inside the stadium and around 300,000 outside, according to EFE; Peru's state news agency Andina counted more than 52,000 inside.

He organized his address around three words. On passion, he spoke about suffering, saying some young people feel lonely even when surrounded by others or carry grief and uncertainty, and urged them to bring their pain to Jesus and to friends. On vocation, he warned against the idea that one must try sin to enjoy life, quoting Pope Benedict XVI: "Evil always poisons." To anyone who feels it is too late to begin again, he said, "take the step you can take today."

On friendship, he encouraged young leaders not to feel they must always look strong. "Let yourselves be cared for," he said, adding that a single gesture of friendship can change the course of a life.

The vigil opened with remarks from Lima's archbishop, Cardinal Carlos Castillo, and testimonies from two young people and a religious sister. Vatican News shared the voices of students who came from across Peru and neighboring countries. Earlier Thursday the pope met privately with abuse survivors.

On Friday, the pope travels to Chiclayo, where he served as bishop from 2015 to 2023. Focus Plus Media will continue covering the journey.