Pope Leo on Sunday (November 16) celebrated a mass in St Peter's Basilica to mark the Jubilee of the Poor, part of the ongoing Holy Year of the Catholic Church.

The event coincided with the World Day of the Poor, an observance established by the late Pope Francis and celebrated for the first time in 2017.

In his homily, Leo said that various forms of poverty oppress our world, from material poverty to moral and spiritual poverty, "and the tragedy that cuts across them all is loneliness."

The Pope then recalled the wars afflicting various parts of the world, but reminded the faithful that believing that things cannot change is "a lie." He also addressed world leaders, asking them to "listen to the cries of the poorest."

"There can be no peace without justice, and the poor reminds us of this in many ways, through their migration as well as through their cries," he said.

Before the mass, the Pope greeted the faithful who would be following the Mass on screens in St Peter's Square, thanking them for their presence.

The celebration of the Jubilee of the Poor will continue with the Pope attending a lunch offered to 1,300 people, which will be held in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

1. FAITHFUL IN ST PETER’S BASILICA STANDING UP AS MASS BEGINS

2. VARIOUS OF POPE LEO ENTERING BASILICA, WALKING TO ALTAR

3. MASS IN PROGRESS

4. POPE SWINGING THURIBLE

5. SWISS GUARD, CLERGYMEN STANDING

6. POPE LEADING MASS

7. FAITHFUL STANDING

8. CHOIR SINGING

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO SAYING:

“How many forms of poverty oppress our world. They are primarily material poverty, but there are also many moral and spiritual situations, which often affect young people in particular. And the tragedy that cuts across them all is loneliness. It challenges us to look at poverty thoroughly.”

10. PEOPLE LISTENING

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO SAYING:

“Today, war scenarios in particular, which unfortunately exist in various regions around the world, seem to confirm our state of powerlessness. But the globalisation of powerlessness stems from a lie, from believing that this has always been the case and cannot change.”

12. PEOPLE LISTENING

13. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) POPE LEO SAYING:

“Poverty questions Christians, but it also questions all those who have roles of responsibility in society. I therefore urge heads of state and leaders of nations to listen to the cries of the poorest. There can be no peace without justice, and the poor reminds us of this in many ways, through their migration as well as through their cries, which is often stifled by the myth of well-being and progress that does not take everyone into account, but rather forgets many creatures, leaving them to their fate.”

14. PEOPLE LISTENING

15. CLERGYMEN HOLDING BOOKLET

16. CHOIR SINGING

17. POPE RAISING EUCHARIST

18. PEOPLE PRAYING

19. POPE LEADING MASS

20. PROCESSION LEAVING ALTAR AS MASS FINISHES

21. POPE GREETING FAITHFUL

22. POPE HEADING OUT OF BASILICA