A nurse from Barcelona gives Pope a book on her brother: 'His life had meaning because of love'

By Sebastián Sansón Ferrari – Castel Gandolfo

Until the very last moment, Elisabet Argemí did not know whether she would have the opportunity to speak with Pope Leo XIV.

On Tuesday, August 18, in Castel Gandolfo, as the Pope was leaving the Apostolic Palace to return to the Vatican, the unexpected happened: the Pope’s vehicle stopped, he lowered the window and addressed her, saying “Tell me, tell me.”

Elisabet, a nurse at ICOF Hospital Clínic in Barcelona, used those brief moments to give Pope Leo a copy of Learning to Die in Order to Live, the book that recounts the testimony of her brother Xavier Argemí, who died last year at the age of 29 after living with muscular dystrophy.

“He was a brother who loved life very much,” she explained. Xavier often said that he felt loved and that he also loved others deeply. For him, that love gave meaning to his existence.

His illness shaped his life, but it did not define its meaning. As his sister recalls, Xavier was able to accompany and help many people. After his death, many of them came to the wake. “He led a very holy life,” Elisabet said as she remembered her brother.

The book Learning to Die in Order to Live, presented to the Holy Father {"@context": "http://schema.org","@type": "ImageObject","contentUrl": "https://www.vaticannews.va/content/dam/vaticannews/multimedia/2026/agosto/19/whatsapp-image-2026-08-19-at-08-52-11-jpeg.jpg/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.750.422.jpeg","creditText": "Vatican News","height": "750","width": "422"} A brief encounter with the Pope

The exchange with Pope Leo lasted only a few moments, but it made a lasting impression on Elisabet. The Pope received the book and took time to listen to her. “He looked at me attentively, with interest and affection, like a father looking at his daughter,” she recalled.

The book also included a personal dedication. Elisabet had wanted to give the book to the Pope in Barcelona, but in the end she had been unable to do so. The encounter in Castel Gandolfo finally made it possible.

The gesture therefore took on a special meaning. It presented Pope Leo with the testimony of a young man whose life was marked by illness, but also by a simple conviction — the value of life does not depend solely on the circumstances in which one lives, but on the ability to love and to allow oneself to be loved.

“Lifting our eyes each day”

Elisabet also recalled her experience during the Pope’s apostolic journey to Spain in June. She followed his activities closely, took part in the vigil at Montjuïc and joined the crowds in the streets of Barcelona during those days.

Prayer Vigil at Barcelona’s Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium on June 9, 2026   (@Vatican Media) {"@context": "http://schema.org","@type": "ImageObject","contentUrl": "https://www.vaticannews.va/content/dam/vaticannews/agenzie/images/srv/2026/06/09/2026-06-09-viaggio-apostolico-in-spagna---veglia-di-preghiera-al/1781035860578.JPG/_jcr_content/renditions/cq5dam.thumbnail.cropped.750.422.jpeg","creditText": "Vatican News","height": "750","width": "422"}

For her, one of the central messages of that journey — “Lift up your eyes” — can also shed light on how to continue Xavier’s legacy.

“By lifting our eyes each day and keeping our gaze firmly raised,” she replied. She explained that, from her perspective, this way of looking at life is sustained by a relationship with Jesus, “our friend and our love.”

Prayer, the sacraments and the Gospel are part of this daily journey, according to her experience. So too is the Pope’s accompaniment through his audiences, writings and words.

Amid the challenges of today’s world, Elisabet believes that her brother’s testimony continues to offer precisely this invitation: to look beyond illness and difficulties in order to discover what can give meaning to a life.

Xavier died at the age of 29. His sister has decided to continue sharing his story. Now, that testimony has also reached the hands of Pope Leo XIV.