Pope Leo XIV calls for protection of life from conception to natural death

Pope Leo XIV called for the protection of human life from conception to natural death in a message sent to the fifth National March for Life in Bratislava, Slovakia. The message, which was read by Archbishop Nicola Girasoli, the papal nuncio to Slovakia, encouraged participants to build a culture that cares for the most vulnerable and weak members of society.

More than 30,000 people, including families, young people, and citizens from various regions of Slovakia, attended the march on September 20. The Pope expressed his desire for the event to serve as a moment of prayer and witness to the gift of life received from God.

The march seeks legal protection for the unborn, support for mothers in difficulty, and opposition to abortion and euthanasia. Father Ivan Ružička, secretary general of the Slovak Bishops' Conference, stated that the event's message is that every human life possesses dignity and must be protected.