On the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, Pope Leo XIV urged Catholics around the world to reflect deeply on the meaning of the Magi’s journey and gifts, calling the Church to become “weavers of hope” in a world wounded by inequality, fear, and war.
Speaking during his Angelus address on January 6, 2026, following the Epiphany Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Holy Father reflected on the Three Kings who traveled from the East to adore the Christ Child, describing their offering as a model of total self-gift. According to Vatican News, Pope Leo said, “In the gifts of the Magi, we see what each one of us can share, what we can no longer keep for ourselves but are to give to others, so that the presence of Jesus can grow in our midst.”
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The Pope emphasized that the act of kneeling before the Infant Jesus is not merely symbolic, but a declaration of faith in the true humanity revealed in Christ. “Kneeling like the Magi before the Infant of Bethlehem means, also for us,” he explained, “to profess having found that true humanity in which the glory of God shines forth,” according to Vatican News.
In Jesus, Pope Leo continued, humanity encounters authentic life — one that exists in communion rather than isolation. “In Jesus,” he said, “the true life appears, the living man, the one who does not exist for himself but is open and in communion,” adding that Christ teaches us to pray, “‘on earth as it is in heaven,’” as reported by Vatican News.
Reflecting on the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, the Holy Father noted that while these offerings may seem impractical for a child, they reveal something essential about discipleship. According to Vatican News, Pope Leo observed that the Magi’s gifts point to a deeper truth: “the greatest gift is to give everything.” He reinforced this lesson by recalling the Gospel image of the poor widow who placed her final coins into the Temple treasury, offering all that she had.
The Pope acknowledged that Scripture tells us nothing about the material wealth of the Magi, yet their journey itself speaks volumes. Their departure, risk-taking, and generosity, he said, show that “everything, truly everything that we are and possess needs to be offered to Jesus, who is our inestimable treasure,” according to Vatican News.
Pope Leo also connected the message of Epiphany to the conclusion of the Jubilee of Hope, which officially ended that day with the closing of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica. The Jubilee, he explained, served as a reminder of a justice rooted in gratuitousness — one that calls for peaceful coexistence, shared resources, and a return of both possessions and hearts to God’s design, as reported by Vatican News.
Hope, the Pope cautioned, cannot be abstract or detached from reality. “The hope that we proclaim must be grounded in reality,” he said, because Christ entered history to “create a new story here below,” according to Vatican News. This hope, he added, should inspire believers to share what they have so that Christ’s presence may grow and relationships once marked by hostility may be transformed.
“In the place of inequality, may there be fairness,” Pope Leo prayed, “and may the industry of war be replaced by the craft of peace,” according to Vatican News. He concluded by calling the faithful to continue forward “as weavers of hope,” journeying toward the future “by another road.”
Following the Angelus, the Holy Father extended New Year greetings and highlighted the celebration of Missionary Childhood Day, thanking children and young people who pray for missionaries and support those in need. He also offered prayers for Eastern Christian communities preparing to celebrate Christmas on January 7 according to the Julian calendar, asking the Lord to grant them peace and serenity, according to Vatican News.
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