During the Holy Father’s ecumenical address, the quest for happiness, belonging, and meaning was presented not merely as a religious matter but as a global social issue, the France 24 news channel noted.

In this context, the World Health Organization warns that approximately one in six people worldwide experiences loneliness—a phenomenon linked to the deterioration of physical and mental health and to hundreds of thousands of deaths annually.

This evidence reinforces a key theme of the Catholic Church leader’s address: that possessing more material things does not necessarily equate to greater well-being, stronger bonds, or a clearer sense of purpose.

Against this backdrop, values ​​highlighted during the address—such as fraternity, solidarity, justice, and caring for others—take on a significance that transcends any specific creed, France 24 observed.

By asserting that every human being must be treated as a person rather than “a number, an identity, or an ID code,” the message places the issue at the heart of contemporary debates regarding human dignity in modern societies.

Before reaching the stage set up for the religious ceremony at the Place de la Concorde, Leo XIV had to make his way through a sea of ​​people—blessing some thirty babies along the way—as he traveled from the Arc de Triomphe down the Champs-Elysees.

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