Summary
Pope Leo XIII inaugurated the Lenten season on Ash Wednesday, February 18, in Rome. He delivered an Ash Wednesday homily at the Basilica of Santa Sabina, where he led a procession from the nearby Basilica of Saint An Anselmo. The Pope lamented various “structures of sin” present in society and encouraged believers to embrace Lent as a time for personal and public conversion. Pope Leo highlighted that while sin is always personal, it often manifests within collective structures such as economic, cultural, political, and religious contexts. He emphasized the need for unity among believers and stressed the importance of community during this period. The Pope also addressed young people’s growing interest in repentance and penance, seeing it as a call to live just lifestyles with accountability for wrongdoings in both the Church and society. He underscored the significance of Lent as a time for personal conversion and missionary outreach, using the distribution of ashes as a symbolic act that defies common sense while reminding humanity of its capacity for delusion and self-deception.
Key Topics
Pope Leo, Lent, conversion
