Pope Leo XIV greets a group of young people aboard the “Med 25 Bel Espoir” moored in the Port of Ostia, praising their efforts to promote dialogue and understanding across cultures, religions, and nationalities and thanking them for being witnesses of hope.
By Salvatore Cernuzio
Pope Leo XIV travelled to the coastal town of Ostia, some 25 kilometres southeast of Rome, on Friday afternoon, to visit the crew of the Med25 Bel Espoir, a sailing ship that has been touring Mediterranean ports for months with 25 young people of different nationalities and religions on board.
Also present was Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline of Marseille, where the peace training project began. Speaking off the cuff and chatting to the young people on board, the Pope encouraged them to give “signs of hope” amid hatred, violence, and division.
Standing on the deck as the sea breeze blew, and then below deck before a cup of coffee and some cakes, Pope Leo urged the young sailors to “learn to be builders and promoters of peace in a world moving toward violence and polarisation.”
Pope Leo on deck (@Vatican Media)
The ‘Bel Espoir’
The Bel Espoir—a 1940s French ship—has spent eight months sailing from port to port in the Mediterranean to spread a message of fraternity, with stops in La Valletta, Tunis, Crete, Istanbul (where they met Patriarch Bartholomew), Ravenna, and Naples. Originally bound for Civitavecchia, which is further north on the coast, they changed course to Ostia at the Pope’s suggestion.
In this town deeply linked to St. Augustine and St. Monica, the Augustinian Pope recalled his own visits to the area, calling Ostia “an important harbour in the history of the world and of the Church.”
Signs of hope
Addressing the group in English, he said: “We can be united even if we come from different countries, languages, cultures, and religions, because we are all human beings.”
The Pope thanked the youth for their gifts—a drawing of the ship, a “White Book of the Mediterranean,” and a map signed by all—and praised them as “a sign of hope for the Mediterranean and for the world.”
Pope Leo on deck (@Vatican Media)
Three guiding words
He left them with three words to guide their journey: dialogue, bridges, and peace. “Learn to listen to one another, respect each other, and overcome difficulties together. Build bridges—not just across the Mediterranean, but among all peoples.”
“I’m sure that so many people living together on such a small boat… I haven’t even gone below deck yet… You must learn to live together, to respect one another, and to overcome difficulties,” he added, noting that “This is a great experience for all of you young people—but it’s also something you can teach all of us.”
“Finally,” the Pope continued, “the third word, which is so important—and some of you told me you are Palestinian—is to learn to be builders of peace. We are all sons and daughters of the one God. We all live together in this world and share a common responsibility: to care for creation, to care for one another, and to promote peace throughout the world.”
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
“Congratulations!” the Holy Father said, “and thank you for contributing to this sign for the world, which truly gives hope to all of us.”
“May your generation, and many other young people like you, continue to promote this kind of initiative—one that truly builds peace across the world. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
After a group photo and a final song—“Peace, pace, salam, paix”—the Bel Espoir cast off again, leaving Ostia behind on its way to Corsica, carrying forward its message of unity and hope.
Pope Leo below deck (@Vatican Media)
