Message from Pope Leon XIV on the occasion of the 10th World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation: "Seeds of Peace and Hope." Dear brothers and sisters, the theme for this World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, chosen by our beloved Pope Francis, is "Seeds of Peace and Hope." On the tenth anniversary of the institution of this Day, which coincides with the publication of the encyclical 'Laudato si',' we are in the midst of a Jubilee, "pilgrims of hope." It is precisely in this context that the theme takes on its full meaning.\n\nIn his preachings, Jesus often uses the image of the seed to speak of the Kingdom of God, and on the eve of his Passion, he applies it to Himself, comparing himself to the wheat grain that must die to bear fruit (cf. Jn 12, 24). The seed completely surrenders to the earth and there, thanks to the irresistible force of its gift, life sprouts, even in the most unexpected places, with a surprising capacity to generate the future. For example, consider the flowers growing by the roadside: no one planted them, yet they grow thanks to seeds that ended up there almost by chance and manage to brighten the grayness of the asphalt and even erode its hard surface.\n\nThus, in Christ, we are seeds. But not only that, we are "Seeds of Peace and Hope." As the prophet Isaiah says, the Spirit of God is capable of transforming the desert, arid and burnt, into a garden, a place of rest and serenity: "The Spirit from on high will be poured out on us. The desert will become an orchard, and the orchard will be like a forest. Justice will dwell in the desert, and righteousness will remain in the orchard. The fruit of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness, and assurance forever. My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places" (Is 32, 15-18).\n\nThese prophetic words, accompanying the ecumenical initiative "Time of Creation" from September 1 to October 4, strongly affirm that, along with prayer, will and concrete actions that make this "caress of God" visible to the world are necessary (cf. 'Laudato si',' n. 84). Justice and righteousness seem in fact to remedy the inhospitality of the desert. It's an announcement of extraordinary relevance. In different parts of the world, it's now evident that our earth is falling into ruin. Everywhere, injustice, violation of international law and peoples' rights, resulting inequalities and greed produce deforestation, pollution, loss of biodiversity. Natural extreme phenomena caused by climate change induced by human activities (cf. Ap. Exhort. 'Laudate Deum,' n. 5) increase in intensity and frequency, not to mention the medium and long-term effects of human and ecological devastation caused by armed conflicts.\n\nIt seems there is still no awareness that the destruction of nature does not affect everyone the same way: breaching justice and peace means striking more at the poorest, marginalized, excluded. The suffering of indigenous communities is emblematic in this area.\n\nAnd that's not all: nature itself sometimes becomes a bargaining tool, a commodity to negotiate for economic or political advantages. In these dynamics, creation is transformed into a battlefield for control of vital resources, as evidenced by agricultural areas and forests made dangerous by mines, "scorched earth" policy [1], conflicts arising around water sources, the unequal distribution of raw materials, penalizing the weakest populations and undermining social stability itself.\n\nThese various wounds are due to sin. This is certainly not what God intended when He entrusted the Earth to man created in His image (cf. Gn 1, 24-29). The Bible does not promote "human despotic dominion over creation" ('Laudato si',' n. 200). On the contrary, "it is important to read biblical texts in their context, with an appropriate hermeneutics, and remember that they invite us to "cultivate and keep" the garden of the world (cf. Gn 2, 15). While "cultivate" means to plow, clear or work, "keep" means to protect, safeguard, preserve, care for, and watch over. This implies a responsible reciprocity between humans and nature" (ibid., n. 67).\n\nEnvironmental justice – implicitly announced by the prophets – can no longer be considered an abstract concept or a distant goal. It represents an urgent necessity, which goes beyond mere environmental protection. It is indeed a matter of social, economic, and anthropological justice. For believers, it is also a theological requirement, which for Christians, has the face of Jesus Christ in whom everything was created and redeemed. In a world where the most fragile are the first to suffer the devastating effects of climate change, deforestation, and pollution, the care of creation becomes a matter of faith and humanity.\n\nIt is truly time to move from words to deeds. "Living the vocation of protectors of God’s work is an essential part of a virtuous existence; it is not an optional or secondary aspect in the Christian experience" (ibid., n. 217). By working with dedication and tenderness, many seeds of justice can be sown, thus contributing to peace and hope. It sometimes takes years for the tree to bear its first fruits, years that involve an entire ecosystem in continuity, fidelity, collaboration, and love, especially if this love becomes a mirror of God's self-giving love.\n\nAmong the Church's initiatives that are like seeds sown in this field, I would like to recall the "Borgo Laudato Si'" project, which Pope Francis left us as a legacy in Castel Gandolfo, as a seed that can bear fruits of justice and peace. This is a project of education for integral ecology that aims to be an example of how we can live, work, and make community by applying the principles of the encyclical 'Laudato si'.'\n\nI pray to the Almighty to abundantly send us His "spirit from on high" (Is 32, 15), so that these seeds and similar others may yield abundant fruits of peace and hope.\n\nThe encyclical 'Laudato si'' has been accompanying the Catholic Church and many people of goodwill for ten years: may it continue to inspire us, and may integral ecology be increasingly chosen and shared as the path to follow. Thus will multiply the seeds of hope, to "keep and cultivate" with the grace of our great and unfailing Hope, the risen Christ. In His name, I give you all my blessing.\n\nFrom the Vatican, June 30, 2025, Memorial of the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome\n\nLEON PP. XIV\n\n[1] Cf. Pontifical Council "Justice and Peace," 'Terra e cibo,' LEV 2015, pp. 51-53.