Hundreds of people gathered this afternoon in the immediate vicinity of the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo, about 40 kilometers from Rome, to welcome Pope Leo XIV, who arrived in this Italian town, on the shores of Lake Albano, to start a summer rest period.
The scene, captured by Italian public television Rai, showed the pontiff arriving on foot and smiling around 5:00 p.m. (local time). Before entering the pontifical residence, the Holy Father did not hesitate to approach the faithful, bless several babies and strengthen their hands, in a climate of closeness and warmth.
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One of the most emotional moments was when the Pope looked out to the Balcony of Villa Barberini to briefly greet those present by briefly.
This is the first time that Leo XIV houses in the historic summer residence of the Popes, where he will remain from this Sunday, July 6 to the 20th, and again from August 15 to 17.
The Pope had already visited this fortified palace of the seventeenth century twice: on May 29, when he visited Burgo Laudato if ‘and the Apostolic Palace, and on July 3, when he returned to examine the state of the works of Villa Barberini, which, with his dependencies and gardens, will be reserved for his stay.
In any case, the space of the Pontifical Villa that was converted in 2016 into a museum for tourists by decision of Pope Francis, will continue to open to the public.
Castel Gandolfo has been, for centuries, a place of rest, prayer and study for the pontiffs. Pío XII, Juan XXIII, Paul VI, Juan Pablo II and Benedict XVI passed their summers there, presided over the prayer of the Sunday Angelus and lived with the inhabitants of the town.
The return of Leo XIV marks the beginning of a new stage, which seeks to recover that dimension of closeness and pastoral presence. “Since 1628 the potatoes have lived in Castel Gandolfo. Some more, others less, but their presence has been a constant. This is a city accustomed to the daily life of the Pope,” the mayor of Castel Gandolfo, Alberto de Angelis told ACI Press.
The Pontiff will pray the Sunday Angelus of July 13 and 20 from the Plaza de la Libertad, in front of the Pontifical Palace. After a brief return to the Vatican, Leo XIV will be again in Castel Gandolfo, where he will recite the Marian prayer on August 15 and 17.
Victoria Cardiel
Victoria Cardiel is a journalist specialized in social and religious information issues. Since 2013, he has covered all the news of the Vatican for various media, such as the Spanish news agency Europa Press, or the weekly of the Archdiocese of Madrid, Alfa and Omega.