Television adventurer and survivalist, Bear Grylls, inspired a sold-out crowd of over 10,000 young people at OVO Arena Wembley during Flame 2025.
During his appearance, he discussed his book, The Greatest Story Ever Told, which openly dives into his personal struggles with doubt, emphasising that his Christian faith stays a guiding force in his life.
“Faith is in your heart, faith is in relationships, faith is a continuing connection to the Almighty,” he said in dialogue with David Wells, a Catholic speaker.
“I actually have many struggles, many doubts. I actually don’t have all of it together, but I do know that I’m loved and held, and the sunshine shines,” he said.
He described faith as an adventure and a journey.
“It’s a backbone, a streak of steel, the presence of Jesus beside us within the highs and the lows. It’s fire and life and water, multi functional,” he added, before rallying the audience: “You guys are unstoppable!”
Flame 2025, organised by CYMFed (Catholic Youth Ministry Federation of England and Wales), is the most important gathering of young Catholics in England and Wales, bringing together priests, chaplains, youth leaders, teachers and bishops from across the UK, together with groups from Gibraltar and the Ukrainian National Chaplaincy.
Inspired by Pope Benedict XVI’s 2010 visit, the event has taken place every two years since 2012, with the subsequent Flame set for 2027.
This yr’s event centred across the theme “Unstoppable: Fan the Flame of Hope,” resounding Pope Francis’ call for young people to be “Pilgrims of Hope” throughout the Jubilee Year.
On behalf of Pope Francis, David Oakley, Bishop of Northampton and Chair of the Department for Discipleship and Evangelisation, delivered a message by which the Pope cheered on young people to “fan a flame of hope that is actually ‘unstoppable’ for Christ”.
Other speakers included a founding member of the Hallow prayer app, Bryan Enriquez, and disability advocate, Isaac Harvey, who encouraged young people to embrace life fully, saying, “It’s about having faith, having hope, and at the tip of the day, having fun. Going with the flow, having fun, and taking opportunities as they arrive.”
The Apostolic Nuncio in Great Britain, Archbishop Miguel Mary Buendiá, reminded young people: “Let your faith shine brightly on the planet, and know that you simply are usually not alone on this journey.”
Additionally, the St Vincent de Paul Society reinforced an easy but profound truth: “You are loved, you might be lovable, and you might be loved by God.”
A CAFOD partner and young farmer from Kenya, Brian Maeba, discussed the worldwide debt crisis, highlighting how among the world’s poorest countries are burdened by high-interest loan repayments to wealthy institutions.
He urged young people to support CAFOD’s campaign for debt cancellation, leading a collective chant of “Cancel debt and select hope!”
Young people were also invigorated to return to their parishes and schools, carrying the message of hope forward.
