Pope Leo XIV at a window of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, leading pilgrims in reciting the Angelus, on September 14, 2025, the pope's 70th birthday. / Vatican MediaVatican City, Sep 14, 2025 / 09:55 am (CNA).On Sunday, his 70th birthday, Pope Leo XIV presided at the recitation of the Angelus with pilgrims in St. Peter's Square. From the early morning hours, the square had filled up with the faithful carrying banners, flags, and congratulatory signs to celebrate the pope's milestone.Leo was visibly moved when musical groups in the square played "Happy Birthday," a gesture greeted with applause, cheers, and the waving of signs bearing messages of gratitude and blessing."Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Sunday! Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, commemorating the discovery of the Cross by Saint Helen in Jerusalem in the fourth century, and the return of the precious relic to the Holy City by the Emperor Heraclius," the pope said ...
Pope Leo XIV at a window of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, leading pilgrims in reciting the Angelus, on September 14, 2025, the pope's 70th birthday. / Vatican Media
Vatican City, Sep 14, 2025 / 09:55 am (CNA).
On Sunday, his 70th birthday, Pope Leo XIV presided at the recitation of the Angelus with pilgrims in St. Peter's Square. From the early morning hours, the square had filled up with the faithful carrying banners, flags, and congratulatory signs to celebrate the pope's milestone.
Leo was visibly moved when musical groups in the square played "Happy Birthday," a gesture greeted with applause, cheers, and the waving of signs bearing messages of gratitude and blessing.
"Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Sunday! Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, commemorating the discovery of the Cross by Saint Helen in Jerusalem in the fourth century, and the return of the precious relic to the Holy City by the Emperor Heraclius," the pope said at the start of his reflection.
He explained that the day's Gospel (Jn 3:13–17) presents Nicodemus as "one of the leaders of the Jews, a righteous and open-minded person … He needs light and guidance: he seeks God and asks the Teacher of Nazareth for help because he recognizes him as a prophet, a man who performs extraordinary signs."
"The Lord welcomes him, listens to him, and eventually reveals to him that the Son of Man must be lifted up, 'so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life' … adding: 'For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life,'" the pope said.
Pilgrims in St. Peter's Square hold a banner congratulating Pope Leo XIV on his 70th birthday, September 14, 2025. Vatican Media
"God saves us by showing himself to us, offering himself as our companion, teacher, doctor, friend, to the point of becoming bread broken for us in the Eucharist. In order to accomplish this task, he used one of the cruelest instruments that human beings have ever invented: the cross," Leo said.
"That is why today we celebrate the 'exaltation': for the immense love with which God has transformed the means to death into an instrument of life, embracing it for our salvation, teaching us that nothing can separate us from him and that his love is greater than our own sin," he added.
After leading the Angelus, the pope noted the 60th anniversary of St. Paul VI's institution of the Synod of Bishops, expressing hope that "this anniversary will inspire a renewed commitment to the unity and mission of the Church." He also extended greetings to pilgrims from around the world.
At the close, he turned to a more personal meaning of the day: "Dear friends, it seems that you know that today I turn seventy years old. I give thanks to the Lord and to my parents; and I thank all those who have remembered me in their prayers. Many thanks to everyone! Thank you! Have a good Sunday!"
Pope Leo XIV presides over an ecumenical commemoration of the martyrs and witnesses of faith of the 21st century at Rome's Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls on September 14, 2025. / Elias TurlVatican City, Sep 14, 2025 / 12:38 pm (CNA).Pope Leo XIV led an ecumenical commemoration of the martyrs and witnesses of faith of the 21st century at Rome's Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls on Sunday, stressing that "even though they have been killed in body, no one can silence their voice or erase the love they have shown."The Sept. 14 liturgy brought together Orthodox, Eastern, and Protestant leaders, along with ecumenical organizations and Vatican officials."Through his cross, Jesus revealed to us the true face of God, his infinite compassion for humanity," the pope said. "He took upon himself the hatred and violence of the world, to share the lot of all those who are humiliated and oppressed."Pope Leo, speaking on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, said that many...
Juan Dabdoub, founder of the Mexican Family Council. / Credit: David Ramos/EWTN NewsACI Prensa Staff, Sep 14, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).Juan Dabdoub Giacoman, a legendary and tireless defender of life and family in Mexico, passed away at the age of 71 on Sept. 11 in Mexico City after a long battle with cancer."A Catholic at heart and by conviction," as he described himself on his social media, Dabdoub was born on Nov. 30, 1953, in Monterrey in Nuevo León state in Mexico and specialized in marketing and business management.Self-described as a "rebel by nature and an idealist by conviction," Dabdoub dedicated his recent decades to activism in support of life and family, and founded the Mexican Council of the Family (ConFamilia), which promoted an amendment to the Mexican Constitution to officially recognize marriage as between one man and one woman.The proposal was supported by more than 200,000 signatures, nearly twice the number required by law, but was ignored by the country's Sen...
Pope Leo XIV waves at the crowds of people who braved a rainy morning for the general audience in St. Peter's Square on Sept. 10, 2025. / Credit: Vatican MediaNational Catholic Register, Sep 14, 2025 / 07:09 am (CNA).Sept. 14 marks Pope Leo XIV's 70th birthday. To celebrate, "EWTN News In Depth" invited viewers to send in video messages to share their own personal greeting to the Holy Father on such a momentous occasion.The responses ranged from young Catholic school children singing "Happy Birthday" to seminarians and priests sharing their own sentiments and religious sisters gathered to say happy birthday in unison. Some celebrated by blowing out candles while holding their own Pope Leo prayer card, while many just thanked the Holy Father for all the love and joy he shares daily.Although many American voices shared birthday blessings and prayers of gratitude, several messages came from the Philippines, many in Spanish, and one even from Norway and the Netherlands.There was a ...
Pope Leo XIV at a window of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace, leading pilgrims in reciting the Angelus, on September 14, 2025, the pope's 70th birthday. / Vatican Media
