General Audience, 21 October 2026

Pope Leo XIV thanked the faithful for their prayers during a general audience on October 21, 2026, marking his first appearance at the weekly gathering since undergoing surgery to remove a malignant tumor from his right lung.

During his catechesis on the Second Vatican Council's pastoral constitution, Gaudium et Spes, the pope discussed the importance of marriage and family as the foundation of society. He explained that the well-being of individuals and Christian communities is closely tied to the health of the family unit. Referring to the document, the pope described marriage as an intimate partnership of life and love based on a conjugal covenant where spouses mutually give themselves to one another.

The pope noted that marital love involves the whole will of the spouses and is expressed through tenderness and affection. He also identified children as the greatest gift of marriage, stating that parents have a responsibility to welcome, protect, and educate them.