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Pope Leo XIV to Vatican families: ‘Families give life and love’
Pope Leo XIV tells Vatican families they are a “great miracle,” urging them to give life and love generously while celebrating family life with parents and children.
By Salvatore Cernuzio
Pope Leo XIV met with hundreds of Vatican employees and their families on Friday evening, 5 September, during the annual Family Feast held in the Vatican Gardens.
Greeting parents and children gathered in the Governorate courtyard, the Pope recalled a phrase of St John Paul II: “The family is the mirror in which God sees Himself.”
“God wants to see Himself in our community, in our family. God is present in your family,” Pope Leo said.
He then spoke of the two “greatest miracles” found in family life: giving life and giving love. “I want to thank all of you, your families, for this great miracle that you are,” he said.
The Pope encouraged families to look at themselves each day as a “mirror of God” and rediscover what it means to give life and love rather than living only for oneself.
“We should not be selfish, but give our lives for others, in the family, among friends and even among those who are not yet our friends,” he said.
“May our celebration this evening also be a mirror of God’s love,” Pope Leo added, praying that families might experience “the joy that only God can give” and the joy of being together.
A light-hearted moment with the children
The Pope also shared a playful moment with the younger participants, joking about the viral “six-seven” trend he had encountered during his meetings with young people in recent months.
“Many people learned a little mathematics this summer. How much is six-seven?” he asked. “Six-seven? Thirteen. Very good!”
Six-seven is a catchphrase used by kids and teens that comes from a trending rap song, and the joke prompted laughter from both children and adults. Some teenagers then tried to teach him another expression popularised on platforms like TikTok, calling out: “Papa, Papa, can you say ‘aura’?” Leo XIV replied, “Aura?”, drawing more laughter.
The evening brought together families after summer months’ vacations, with children enjoying games, performances, pizza, inflatable attractions and the “Little Firefighters” village.
Sr Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate, thanked the Pope for his presence and expressed the families’ “gratitude and filial affection,” saying that serving and assisting him in his mission is “a great joy.”
After his address, Pope Leo walked among the crowd, greeting families, blessing babies, embracing children and speaking briefly with those who approached him. He also greeted elderly people and those in wheelchairs before returning to his residence.
It was a simple evening of celebration, bringing Vatican families together to celebrate “family” in the fullest sense.
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