Guwahati, 24 February 2026: Faith is not simply about declaring belief or disbelief, but about the sincere search for God. This was the heart of Pope Leo XIV’s response to a self-described atheist in the February edition of the Italian magazine Piazza San Pietro, dedicated to the theme “Faith that Endures Suffering.”
The Pope was replying to a letter from Rocco, a man from Reggio Calabria in southern Italy, who shared his inner struggle with belief. Though he identifies himself as an atheist, Rocco described being deeply moved by the beauty of nature — sunrises, sunsets, and the star-filled sky — experiences that awaken in him a longing for something greater.
In a poem included in his letter, he wrote:
“I believe I do not believe… absolutely certain of nothingness, I continue to yearn for God. My drama is God! My restlessness is God!”
Confused by this inner tension, Rocco asked the Pope how it is possible to call oneself an atheist and yet feel a profound need to love God. “Perhaps,” he wondered, “I believe I am an atheist, but deep down I am searching for God?”
Seeking Is Already a Sign of Faith
In his reply, Pope Leo XIV drew upon the words of St. Augustine:
“You were within me, but I was outside myself, and there I sought you.”
The Holy Father explained that sincere searching is not a denial of faith but often its beginning. The real issue, he said, is not simply whether one believes or does not believe, but whether one seeks God with an open and honest heart.
God allows Himself to be found by those who search for Him, the Pope affirmed. The deeper distinction in life may not be between believers and non-believers, but between those who seek and those who stop seeking.
Even people who consider themselves distant from faith may, in reality, be profoundly close to God through their longing for truth, beauty, and love.
“We are all longing for Love,” Pope Leo concluded. “We are all seekers of God. And therein lies the dignity and beauty of our lives.”
The Pope’s message offers comfort to many who struggle with doubt, reminding them that restlessness itself can become a path toward encounter with the Divine.
Seekers in a Land of Many Faiths
In the Northeast of India — a region rich in cultures, traditions, and diverse religious expressions — many young people wrestle quietly with questions of faith, doubt, identity, and belonging.
Pope Leo XIV’s words offer pastoral reassurance: faith is not first about labels — believer or non-believer — but about the sincere search for truth and love.
In a region where dialogue, coexistence, and witness matter deeply, this message invites us to:
Accompany those who question rather than judge them.
Recognize longing for meaning as a sign of God already at work.
Create safe spaces — in parishes, youth groups, and digital platforms — where doubts can be expressed honestly.
The Pope reminds us that longing itself is grace.
To seek is already to be on the journey.