Pope Leo XIV begins Lenten spiritual exercises led by Bishop Erik Varden

Pope Leo XIV began a Lenten retreat with the Roman Curia at the Vatican on Sunday. Cistercian Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim, Norway, is leading the spiritual exercises at the request of the pope.

Varden will deliver his meditations for the Feb. 22–27 retreat in the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace.

The cardinals residing in Rome and the prefects of the Curia’s dicasteries are invited to participate, suspending or reducing their regular work activities in order to spend time in spiritual reflection with the pope and his closest collaborators.

Varden’s meditations, titled “Illuminated by a Hidden Glory,” will reflect on St. Bernard of Clairvaux, approached from a dual perspective: an idealistic dimension and a realistic view of the Christian experience.

Other talks, of which he will give 11 total, are titled “Entering Lent,” “God’s Help,” and “Communicating Hope.” The aim is to foster an atmosphere of silence, discernment, and inner renewal among those responsible for the Curia.

The meditations will be accompanied by Eucharistic adoration and the twice daily praying of the Liturgy of the Hours.

Last year, the Lenten spiritual exercises were led by Capuchin friar Father Roberto Pasolini, who was appointed by Pope Francis as preacher of the papal household in 2024, and focused on the hope of eternal life and theological reflection.

Under the theme “Anchored in Christ,” Pasolini went into depth on the need for universal hope and urged those present to live “rooted and grounded” in the promise of new life.

Pope Francis followed the meditations from Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where he was hospitalized for 38 days with bilateral pneumonia. He was discharged on March 23, 2025, and died the following month on April 21 at 7:35 a.m. local time at the Santa Marta guesthouse, his residence in the Vatican.

In the latter part of his pontificate, Francis usually chose to do the annual spiritual exercises in private. From 2014–2020, he moved them from the Vatican to a retreat house in Ariccia, Italy, about 16 miles south of Rome.

From atheist to bishop

Born in 1974, Varden has an unusual profile among preachers of curial retreats. He has recounted on several occasions his personal journey from atheism to the Christian faith, a path that culminated in his entry into the Cistercian Order after his formation in the British Isles. Years later, he returned to his native country, where he was appointed bishop of Trondheim.

In addition to his monastic life, he has a well-known public profile as a writer on spirituality.

His works have achieved widespread international dissemination, including: “Entering into the Twofold Mystery: On Christian Conversion,” in which he invites readers to reorient their lives toward God as one goes through both pain and joy, and “Healing Wounds,” in which he combines theological reflection with personal experience. This style, characterized by dialogue with contemporary humanity, is one of the reasons why his appointment has created interest within ecclesial circles.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Hannah Brockhaus contributed to this report.