Pope Leo XIV thanked Norwegian Bishop Erik Varden Friday for leading his first Lenten retreat as pontiff, describing the week-long spiritual exercises as “a profound experience” that deeply moved him. The retreat concluded in the Vatican’s Pauline Chapel with the Pope urging participants to “walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ.”
Bishop Varden of Trondheim, a Cistercian monk, preached eleven meditations from February 22 through 27 under the theme “Illuminated by a Hidden Glory.” His reflections drew heavily from the writings of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, the 12th-century abbot and doctor of the church. The retreat brought together the Pope, Roman Cardinals, and heads of Vatican dicasteries.
Pope Leo told attendees he was particularly struck by Varden’s meditation on Pope Eugene III’s election, citing Bernard’s words: “What have you done? May God have mercy on you.” The Pope described gathering for prayer as “a very important moment in our lives” and praised Varden’s wisdom and testimony alongside Bernard’s monastic witness.
The retreat addressed challenging topics including clerical sexual abuse, church corruption, and the misuse of Christian language in political discourse. Varden warned against deploying the Gospel as a weapon in culture wars. He urged Christians to contest “instrumentalisations of Christian language and signs” not with indignation but by teaching authentic spiritual struggle.
His meditations explored freedom, truth, and hope as central Christian themes. Varden characterized ambition as a “subtle virus” and “sublimated form of cupidity” that alienates the mind from truth. He called truth-seeking essential in an era where many earnestly ask “What is truth?” despite confusion and fear.
The Bishop emphasized that fidelity to Christ’s example and commandments marks Christian sincerity. The peace believers embody indicates Jesus’s presence within them. He noted the Church often appears “last-season” compared to worldly fashions but warned against trying to keep pace with cultural trends.
Pope Leo highlighted music’s role in lifting spirits toward God during the exercises. He thanked the Office for Liturgical Celebrations and the choir for their contributions. The retreat took place in the Pauline Chapel, adorned with Michelangelo’s frescoes depicting Saint Paul’s conversion and Saint Peter’s crucifixion.
The annual Lenten retreat tradition dates to Pope Pius XI’s pontificate in the 1920s. Pope Leo is scheduled to deliver the Angelus address to pilgrims March 1.
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