Pope Leo XIV encourages the Order of the Holy Sepulcher in its mission in the Holy Land

In an audience with the Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, Pope Leo XIV thanked them for their humble service to the communities of the Holy Land, where they are called to bear witness to “that life conquers death.”

At the beginning of his speech, the Pope recalled the mission with which the Order was erected in 1098: to guard the Holy Sepulcher, to care for the pilgrims and to support the church of Jerusalem.

The Holy Father thanked them for continuing with this work that they carry out “with the humility, dedication and spirit of sacrifice that characterize the chivalric orders,” especially for their testimony and solidarity with the Christians of the Holy Land.

In particular, the Pontiff highlighted that even today they help the communities of the Holy Land “without making noise or seeking publicity” and supporting the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem in its various activities, such as charitable works or humanitarian projects.

“You show that guarding the Sepulcher of Christ does not simply mean preserving a historical, archaeological or artistic heritage – however important it may be – but rather supporting a Church made of living stones, which was born around it and still lives today as an authentic sign of Easter hope,” he noted.

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“In a world in which arrogance and violence seem to prevail over charity,” he continued, “you are called to bear witness that life conquers death, that love conquers hate, that forgiveness conquers revenge and that mercy and grace conquer sin.”

He also exhorted them to preside over the holy places with faith, to help the faithful “stop with their hearts at the tomb of Christ, where pain finds an answer in trust.”

To achieve this, he advised them to have an “intense sacramental life,” as well as listening to and meditating on the word of God, with personal and liturgical prayer, and with spiritual formation.

Later, the Pope set his sights on hope, embodied in the women who went to the Sepulcher to look for Jesus.

“On how many occasions, thanks to your work, a crack of light opens for people, families and entire communities that run the risk of being overwhelmed by terrible dramas, at all levels, especially in the places where Jesus lived,” he said.

He also recalled that, when Saint Peter and Saint John run to the tomb and find the empty tomb of Jesus, it represents “the gesture of pilgrimage, a symbol of the search for the ultimate meaning of life.”

Thus, he invited them to live their pilgrimage to Rome “as a stage from which to resume the path towards the only true and definitive goal: full and eternal communion with God in Paradise.”

By way of conclusion, he asked them to bear witness and invite the faithful “to live the things of this world with the freedom and joy of someone who knows that he is on his way to the infinite horizon of eternity.”