Pope Leo: Today’s world recalls Bethlehem, where Christ was rejected by some, sought by others

November 09, 2026

Pope Leo XIV told Uruguayan youth who took part in a prayer vigil that today’s secularized world recalls Bethlehem, where Christ experienced indifference and rejection from some but was sought by others.

The prayer vigil (video 1, video 2) took place on the evening of November 7 in a soccer stadium in Montevideo, the nation’s capital. A crowd estimated at 70,000 was present in the stadium, with an additional 30,000 outside.

“When we are few in number, when our strength wanes, when we realize that our social presence is no longer what it once was, we may be tempted to judge our situation by purely human standards,” Pope Leo told the Catholic young people. “The Gospel invites us to see things differently. God chose Bethlehem, and that choice alone is enough to prevent us from equating smallness with insignificance.”

The Pope continued:

Christ comes, but the inn is full. There is no room inside, so he ends up lying in a manger. Soon Herod will try to kill him, unable to tolerate a reign he cannot control.

Something of Bethlehem continues to happen: God can be considered unnecessary, and faith confined to the private sphere, as though it had nothing to contribute to society. When we try to build a world without God, we run the risk of leaving humanity without a place as well. But none of this changes the reality: that Child is God, and he comes to save us. That “us” includes each and every one of us, for indifference can also creep, little by little, into the lives of those of us who believe.

Bethlehem asks us a simple question: is there room for him? Is there room in our time, in our way of thinking, in our homes? Is there room to listen to him, to receive his forgiveness, to allow his word to correct us? We need to keep Christ at the center of our lives through prayer, Mass, Confession and the meditative reading of the Gospel. We must all become disciples again and again. If we want others to find Christ, we need to know the way to Bethlehem ourselves first.

Pope Leo also encouraged young people to “dare to take the step of marrying, starting a family yourselves. Do not be afraid of ‘forever!’“

“Married couples, open your home to life, even when the world tells you that a child is a burden,” the Pope said. “If any of you feel that Christ is calling you to leave everything behind to follow him in the priesthood or in consecrated life, do not ignore that voice out of fear of missing out on other opportunities.”

Pope Leo added:

Do not be afraid, then, to aspire to holiness. Christ did not call us to mediocrity; he called us to a new and full life like his own.

Dear brothers and sisters, dear Uruguay: may everyone know that we have been to Bethlehem. May it be evident that Christ lives and that encountering him makes all the difference.

That same Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, who died and rose again, lives forever and remains with us. Christ awaits us, truly present in the Eucharist. How beautiful that Bethlehem means precisely “house of bread.” There was born the One who would give himself to us as the Bread of Life. Today, therefore, we can continue to encounter him—so near and so humble—in every tabernacle. Seek him there, in Eucharistic adoration. Speak to him as you would to a friend, and let him look upon you.

 

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Further information:

• Apostolic Journey to Uruguay: Prayer vigil at the Estadio Centenario (Dicastery for Communication - Vatican Media, 11/7/26)
• Prayer Vigil at the Centenary Stadium (Holy See Press Office, 11/7/26)
• Pope in Uruguay: Never settle for mediocrity, find joy and fulfillment in Christ (Vatican News, 11/8/26)