Leo XIV sent a special message to the children of Poland who participate in the traditional Rorate masses, a deeply rooted Advent custom that gathers thousands of young people every year before dawn, accompanied by lit lanterns to symbolize the wait for the Messiah. This year, according to Vatican News, about 3,500 parishes joined the initiative, which includes catechetical materials to help the youngest get to know the new Pontiff better.
The Rorate masses—whose name comes from the Latin hymn Rorate caeli desuper—have been celebrated for centuries in Poland and are part of the popular spirituality of Advent. In many dioceses, children come with lamps or candles, remembering the vigilance and active waiting for the birth of the Lord.
A letter to prepare hearts
In his message, Leo XIV thanked the initiative and encouraged the children to make the most of this time of grace. “The time of Advent,” the Pope wrote, “can be a wonderful opportunity for all of us to grow in patience, through adequate preparation for the encounter with Jesus, who draws near to us in the sacraments, in prayer, and in our relationships with others.”
The Pope emphasized the importance of participation in the Rorate masses translating into concrete attitudes:
May faith, hope, and charity triumph every day,
especially when we read the Sacred Scripture,
help those in need,
console those who weep
and seek joy in giving rather than waiting to receive.
A simple catechesis, directly addressed to children and consistent with the spirituality of Advent.
The Polish Church, “always close to the Pope”
The initiative—titled “With Pope Leo, we await Jesus”—was organized by the Catholic magazine Gość Niedzielny and its children’s edition, Mały Gość Niedzielny, which prepared materials to accompany the celebrations.
Father Marek Gancarczyk, director of the Media Institute of Gość and editor-in-chief of the publication, explained that the proposal seeks, among other things, to foster children’s prayer for the Holy Father. “The Church in Poland has always lived close to the Pope and the universal Church,” he noted. “In the year of the election of Robert Francis Prevost as successor of Peter, we wanted to present our new Pope to the children and their parents.”