‘Building bridges, not walls’: Pope Leo reflects on St. Irenaeus and hope

June 16, 2025

Resuming Pope Francis’s practice of monthly Saturday audiences during the Jubilee year, Pope Francis reflected on the virtue of hope and the life of St. Irenaeus, the second-century bishop, martyr, and doctor of the Church.

“This morning we take up the series of catecheses on the Jubilee theme of hope begun by Pope Francis earlier this year,” Pope Leo said to pilgrims on June 14 in St. Peter’s Basilica, in the words of the Vatican’s summary of his remarks. “Like Jesus himself, God and man, the evangelical virtue of hope connects heaven and earth, our world and the kingdom of heaven.”

“We see this reflected in the life of St. Irenaeus of Lyon, a great bishop and theologian of the second century,” the summary continued. “Irenaeus was born in Asia Minor, nurtured in its apostolic traditions, and migrated to Europe as a missionary of the Gospel. His ministry was above all one of unity, grounded in the person of Jesus himself, true God and true man.”

The summary concluded:

By taking on our flesh, Jesus united us to one another, reconciling divisions and charging us to acknowledge him in all our brothers and sisters, especially the poor and those in need. Inspired by this teaching of St. Irenaeus, may we work together for unity in our communities, opening doors and building bridges in place of walls. In this way, as pilgrims of hope, may we bear living witness to the Gospel message of unity, reconciliation and peace in Christ.

 

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Further information:

• Jubilee Audience (Dicastery for Communication - Libreria Editrice Vaticana)