Pope Leo’s Video Message for Thy Kingdom Come 2026

On Thursday 14 May, the Solemnity of the Ascension of Lord, the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV released a video message as part of the 2026 Thy Kingdom Come prayer initiative. 

Thy Kingdom Come is an annual campaign which encourages Christians to pray during the period between Ascension and Pentecost for more people to come to an active faith in Jesus. It began in 2016 in the Church of England but is now an ecumenical global movement. The theme for 2026 is “God with us”, honouring the Lord who, through his Spirit, always accompanies his people. 

In his message, Pope Leo said that the Thy Kingdom Come novena is an ideal time to share the Good News with others. “Christ is everything for us! In him, we find the fullness of life and its meaning. This is not something about which we can keep silent. It is something to proclaim boldly, for it is indeed Good News and needs to be shared.”