Pope Leo Urges Dutch Youth Toward Unity in Christ
Over 1,000 young people gathered in Ede with seven bishops as registrations opened for the 2027 World Youth Day pilgrimage in Seoul.
On Saturday, November 7, 2026, more than 1,000 young people gathered in Ede in the Netherlands for the Dutch Catholic Youth Day. The day’s theme was drawn from the Gospel of John: “That they all may be one” (John 17:21).
Seven Dutch bishops took part, together with numerous priests and religious and representatives of more than 40 ecclesial associations. The gathering underscored a shared desire for communion among young Catholics across the country.
A papal call to fraternity
In a message addressed to the young Dutch Catholics, Pope Leo XIV wrote, “May this Day’s theme inspire you to grow closer to one another like brothers and sisters in Christ.” The Holy Father’s words placed the meeting under the sign of ecclesial unity and fraternal charity rooted in Christ.
American Franciscan friar and preacher Father Casey Cole addressed the assembly on mercy. “Mercy does not mean keeping quiet when something goes wrong, nor addressing others reproachfully,” he said. “It is precisely through friendship, personal relationships and honest listening that space is created for an open dialogue about faith.”
Path to World Youth Day in Seoul
During the day, registrations were officially opened for the Dutch national pilgrimage to World Youth Day in Seoul, South Korea, from July 27 to August 9, 2027. The international meeting’s theme will be “Take courage: I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33).
The pilgrimage is set to begin with Days in the Diocese in Incheon before continuing in Seoul for the international events and the celebrations with the Pope. A national preparation day is scheduled for June 12, 2027, in Weert, with Antonia Salzano, mother of Saint Carlo Acutis, as speaker.
The Ede gathering thus linked a concrete experience of youth communion in the Netherlands to the wider journey of the universal Church toward Seoul, inviting young Catholics to live unity, mercy, and missionary courage in fidelity to Christ and to the Successor of Peter.