7,000 pilgrims open divine mercy congress in Vilnius, Lithuania

On June 7, the sixth World Apostolic Congress on Mercy opened in the Lithuanian capital city of Vilnius with around 7,000 pilgrims taking part in the Eucharistic procession through the city’s streets.

Pilgrims arrived from more than 50 countries around the world, including Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Wallis and Futuna, Guam, Chile, Argentina, the United States, Spain, Italy, and Poland.

The congress opened with public Mass in Vilnius Cathedral Square at 12:30 p.m., which was followed by a Eucharistic procession through the streets of Vilnius Old Town at 2 p.m.

A procession through Lithuania’s wounded past

During his homily, Archbishop Gintaras Grušas told pilgrims that the procession route had been deliberately chosen to pass sites that reflect both the suffering and resilience of the Church in Lithuania.

“As we walk through the city, we will stop to pray at the stations that remind us of the city’s wounds and at the same time testify to healing,” he explained.

He referenced the Church of St. Casimir, once converted into a museum of atheism by the Soviets, and the Gate of Dawn, a Marian shrine that communist authorities had planned to demolish. He highlighted their continued existence as a testament to God’s mercy and the endurance of faith despite decades of Soviet attempts to suppress it.

Among those attending the opening Mass were Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda; Archbishop Georg Gänswein, the apostolic nuncio to the Baltic States; Fra’ John Timothy Dunlap, grand master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta; Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization; and Cardinal Sigitas Tamkevičius. They were joined by Lithuanian Ambassador to the Holy See Sigita Maslauskaitė-Mažylienė, bishops from across Lithuania, and diplomats from neighboring countries.

Pope Leo XIV addresses pilgrims

Later in the evening at 6 p.m., the congress officially opened on the Hill of the Savior, beside the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the former Visitation Monastery, both of which suffered under Soviet persecution. The venue is located just steps away from the former convent where St. Faustina received many of her visions and where artist Eugeniusz Kazimirowski painted the first divine mercy image.

Pope Leo XIV addressed participants by video message, stressing the relevance of divine mercy in a world marked by war, violence, and growing anxiety. “Amid the vortex of violence that poisons relationships and destroys lives, the mercy of God asks to be allowed into our hearts with its amazing power of renewal,” the Holy Father said.

The pope also urged the faithful to welcome God’s mercy as a force of personal renewal, saying it has the power to transform lives through love and forgiveness. “The peace that we so deeply desire cannot be attained without mercy,” the pope said.

He concluded by encouraging pilgrims to unite their trust in God’s infinite mercy with a commitment to building a more compassionate and welcoming society, beginning within their own families.

In his message, Pope Leo XIV offered special greetings to Grušas, Nausėda, and Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, the spiritual leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The orthodox leader’s participation highlighted the congress’ international and ecumenical significance.

Building a city of mercy

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nausėda said the event’s message was particularly relevant at a time of growing global uncertainty, conflict, and anxiety about the future. He presented the gathering in Vilnius as a source of hope and spiritual renewal, expressing confidence that its message of mercy would resonate far beyond Lithuania and reach people searching for peace in troubled times.

Meanwhile the grand master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta highlighted the enduring significance of the original image of the merciful Jesus, painted in Vilnius, describing it as a continuing call for believers to carry the message of divine mercy into the modern world.

Grušas likewise stressed that the congress theme, “Building a City of Mercy,” was intended as a practical challenge rather than a symbolic slogan. He said a truly merciful society is built through forgiveness, solidarity with the vulnerable, care for those who suffer, and a commitment to unite truth with charity, with Christians called to serve as witnesses of hope in public life.

The opening ceremony concluded with performances of traditional Lithuanian music and dance, highlighting the host nation’s cultural heritage. The congress will continue throughout the week, ending on June 12, with workshops, testimonies, prayer gatherings, and other events examining the role of divine mercy in the modern world.

The event was broadcast live by EWTN.

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