‘A life given to God is a happy life,’ Pope tells young people in Equatorial Guinea
April 23, 2026
Pope Leo XIV addressed young people gathered in a stadium in Bata, the largest city in Equatorial Guinea (map), and told them that “a life given to God is a happy life” (video 1, video 2).
The Pope began by paying tribute to the nation’s cultural heritage and traditions. He then repeated words spoken by St. John Paul II during his visit to the nation in 1982: “Always give an example of harmony among yourselves, of mutual love, of the capacity for reconciliation, of effective respect for the rights of every citizen, of every family, of every social group. Respect and promote the dignity of all people in your country, as human beings and as children of God.”
“These are words that still guide our hearts today and should light your path as you prepare for the responsibilities that lie ahead,” Pope Leo said.
As he responded to comments from young people, Pope Leo said:
Entrusting ourselves to God’s will gives joy and profound serenity. A life given to God is a happy life, which is renewed every day in prayer, in the sacraments and in the encounter with the brothers and sisters whom the Lord puts on our path. In the communion of hearts and in caring action towards those in need, the miracles of charity are renewed.
Therefore, if you feel that Christ is calling you to follow him on a path of special consecration—as priests, men and women religious, catechists—do not be afraid to follow in his footsteps: as he himself has assured you—and I too strongly want to say to you here today—you will receive “a hundredfold and ... eternal life” (Mt 19:29).
The Pontiff also spoke about the Sacrament of Matrimony.
“Many of you are preparing for the Sacrament of Matrimony,” he said. “Prepare yourselves to live this call as a journey of true love, which grows in freedom, a journey of hope that is born of the awareness that God does not abandon you, a journey of holiness that always seeks the good and happiness of the other.”
The Pontiff concluded:
Dear young people, parents, and all of you present here, let us allow yourselves to be inspired by the beauty of love, let us be witnesses of the love that Jesus has left us and taught us!
We testify every day that loving is beautiful, that the greatest joys, in all environments, come from knowing how to give and from giving oneself, especially when we bend down to those who are most in need. The light of charity, cultivated in homes and lived in faith, can truly transform the world, even in its structures and institutions, so that every person may find respect in it and no one will be forgotten.
Sisters and brothers, let us make this a firm resolution together, a joyful commitment, so that Christ, Crucified and Risen, the light of Equatorial Guinea, of Africa and of the whole world, may guide us all towards a future of hope.
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