Pope to young people: ‘May the Mediterranean no longer be a graveyard’

By Vatican News

In a video message to the participants of the Meeting “Med24” taking place in Tirana, entitled “Pilgrims of Hope, Builders of Peace,” Pope Francis on Tuesday alluded to the theme of the upcoming Jubilee Year, and reminded the young people of Albania and the wider Mediterranean region of their responsibility and role in shaping the future of their communities.

Recalling his 2014 visit to Albania, the Pope expressed joy at reconnecting with the country and its people, whom he described as “a people enriched with several different faces but united by the same courage.”

“You are the new generation of Albania, and now I want to say: You, the new generation, are the future of the Mediterranean region,” he said.

Build peace together

Focusing on the meeting’s central theme of hope and peace, the Pope said peace must be built together with intention and concrete actions.

He also underscored the importance of fraternity, reminding the young participants that “God loves every person; He makes no differences among us.”

He said a growing sense of fraternity between the five shores of the Mediterranean, is “the best answer we can offer to conflicts and deadly indifference,” and he encouraged the youth to learn to discern the signs of the times, recognizing the richness of their cultural and religious diversity.

Unity in diversity

“Unity is not uniformity,” he said, “and the diversity of your cultural and religious identities is a gift of God. Unity in diversity.”

The Holy Father urged them to foster mutual esteem, following in the footsteps of their forefathers, whom, he said, lived in respect and cooperation despite their differences.

In particular, he called for attention to the plight of the marginalized and vulnerable, especially migrants and those forced to leave their homes in search of a better future. Thus, he urged the young people to “renounce the culture of indifference” and embrace a culture of care, friendship, and solidarity.

The Mediterranean connection

Finally, the Pope likened the Mediterranean to a “beautiful garden” that connects the people who live along its shores.

The sea, he said, symbolizes the shared responsibility of fostering unity and peace, and he upheld the example of martyrs, like Blessed Maria Taci, who, at the age of 22, offered her life as a witness of faith and resistance against violence.

“Their courage is a living witness that can inspire your commitment to resisting all violence disfiguring our humanity,” the Pope added.

Pilgrims of hope

Finally, he invoked the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, “Mother of Good Counsel,” whose maternal gaze, he said, has long watched over the Mediterranean.

He told the young participants to follow her example, becoming “restless pilgrims of hope” and working to ensure that the Mediterranean region may once again reflect its true essence as “an expression of fraternity and peace.”

May the Mediterranean, he prayed, be transformed into a place of unity and hope, “no longer a graveyard,” but a region where fraternity flourishes.