Young man shares addiction recovery story with Pope at vigil

Cristian Schinca, a 25-year-old recovering addict, spoke directly to Pope León XIV during a vigil at the Monumento a los Españoles in Palermo. More than one million people gathered for the event organized by the Pope.

Schinca said he grew up in a working family that paid for a private school. Because his economic condition differed from his classmates, he faced constant bullying over not having the best sneakers or clothes.

“The floor of the street is hard and cold.”

The years of bullying made him withdrawn and shy. He kept his suffering silent, which pushed him toward isolation and led him to seek refuge among older people who drank alcohol and used drugs.

At age fifteen, he tried cocaine for the first time, which he described as the starting point of a different life. Drug use eventually became his priority, breaking his relationships and making work impossible to sustain.

After his grandfather died, the guilt over his transformation led him to leave home. He spent several months living on the street, describing the street floor as hard and cold.

The Hogar de Cristo in Moreno welcomed him without asking who he was, offering a hug, a hot meal and a bed. Schinca said he is standing today thanks to the Grande Family of Hogar de Cristo.

The vigil began at 20:15 and included youth representatives and artists such as Valentino Merlo and Nahuel Pennisi.