The Holy See has published Pope Leo XIV’s message for Lent 2026, inviting Christians around the world to embrace the season as a time of deeper conversion through listening and fasting.
The Lenten period will begin on Ash Wednesday, 18 February, and conclude on Holy Thursday, 2 April. In his message, titled “Listening and Fasting. Lent as a Time of Conversion”, Pope Leo XIV sets out spiritual themes to guide the 44 days leading to Easter.
He urges the faithful to grow in attentiveness to God and to those in need, calling for a renewed openness to the Lord and to “the least among us”.
The Pope highlights listening as a fundamental expression of love and relationship. He points to the biblical account of God’s words to Moses, “I have observed the misery of my people… I have heard their cry” (Exodus 3:7), as a model of divine compassion.
According to the message, listening to the cry of the oppressed marks the beginning of liberation. By attending to God’s Word, believers learn to recognise truth in both personal life and society, and become more attentive to those who are suffering.
The Pope stresses that cultivating an “inner openness” allows Christians to learn how to listen as God listens with patience, mercy and readiness to act.
Alongside listening, fasting is presented as an essential Lenten discipline and a practical expression of repentance. Described as an ancient spiritual practice, fasting helps believers to reorder their desires, renew their hunger for justice and resist complacency.
In particular, the Pope calls for a form of fasting that is often overlooked: refraining from harmful speech. He encourages Christians to abstain from words that wound others, including harsh criticism, rash judgement and slander.
“Let us begin by disarming our language,” he writes, urging the faithful to avoid speaking ill of others, especially when they are not present to respond.
The message calls for measured, respectful speech within families, workplaces, churches, public debate and on social media. By choosing kindness and restraint, the Pope suggests that words of hostility can be replaced with words that build hope and peace.
The Lenten season, the Pope notes, is not only a personal spiritual exercise but a communal journey. He encourages parishes, families and Christian groups to reflect together on Scripture and to listen to the cry of the poor and of the earth.
Fasting, he adds, should serve as a foundation for sincere repentance and renewal within the Christian community.
Through listening and self-denial, Pope Leo XIV calls believers to prepare their hearts for Easter with humility and faith, allowing the season to shape both personal conduct and shared life within the Church.
Original reporting by AsiaNews.it, rewritten for this publication.
