Opus Dei

In the days leading up to the Easter Triduum in Rome, Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz met with young people from around the world to speak about faith, work, and citizenship.

Nearly 3,000 students are gathering in Rome from 13 to 20 April to celebrate Holy Week during the Jubilee Year. Now in its 57th edition, UNIV also offers a series of cultural events reflecting on this year’s theme: “Citizens of Our World.”

With deep gratitude and joy, we share the letter Pope Francis sent to the young participants of UNIV 2025. We share it with everyone as an invitation to join in prayer for the Holy Father, as he asks us to do in the letter.

Clips from meetings between Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz and groups of university students from all over the world during Holy Week in the Eternal City.

At the end of his catechesis on the virtue of patience, Pope Francis greeted the young people at UNIV, who came to Rome for Holy Week.

Nearly three thousand university students from all over the world travelled to the Eternal City to experience Holy Week in Rome. Over the course of the week, Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz held various gatherings with young people, talking to them and sharing experiences of faith and friendship.

The UNIV meeting in Rome this year will bring together 3,000 university students. They will take part in Holy Week ceremonies, discuss the search for happiness, and donate to Caritas in Turkey and Syria to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis.

Last month in Rome, university students from around the world gathered to partake in the annual UNIV Conference. Held during Holy Week, this initiative was launched by St Josemaria in 1968 to encourage young people to reflect on, discuss, and address significant world issues facing humanity. This year the topic of the forum was “Rebuilding Together: The Strength of Human Relationships." Three young attendees from Australia write about their experience - Gerard Rajakariar, Carina Rodrigues and Joshua Lay.

More than 2,000 students will meet in Rome from April 10 to 17 to deepen their appreciation for Holy Week and reflect on the topic “Rebuilding Together: The Strength of Human Relationships.”

Excerpts from a Zoom video-conference with young men from various countries. In this conversation, Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz answers questions from people from Venezuela, Spain, Guatemala, Mexico, Nigeria, Kenya, France, United States and Brazil.