At St. Augustine’s tomb, Pope Leo XIV urges Pavia to honor every human life

At St. Augustine’s tomb, Pope Leo XIV urges Pavia to honor every human life

PAVIA — In the ancient Basilica of St. Peter in Ciel d’Oro, where the relics of St. Augustine have rested since the eighth century, Pope Leo XIV offered a meditation on what it means to be a living Church in a time of spiritual fatigue.

“St. Augustine teaches us to live and to love God and our brothers and sisters,” the pope told the faithful gathered in the cloister. “Fraternal love and charity toward all are important; this is the message of Jesus and of St. Augustine. We are signs of love and charity, and we know how to live forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace.”

The June 20 visit continued the pope’s Augustinian itinerary, following his April journey to Annaba, the ancient Hippo where Augustine served as bishop. Addressing the Augustinian community, Leo reminded them that “St. Augustine is not ours; he belongs to the Church, and our mission is to make him known in the Church,” because Augustine “has so much to offer in this time.”

In his address, the pope urged Christians to resist discouragement through “a gaze animated by the spirit of faith” rather than “a negative and pessimistic attitude, incapable of generating new life.” He called the Church to return to its center: “Since the center is Christ, we all draw from this one source.”

“The essential thing is to live with Christ,” Pope Leo said, “and spreading his Gospel is what must be close to our hearts.”