Pope Leo XIV marked the anniversary of his election with a daylong pilgrimage to Pompeii on Friday, praying that political leaders would end what he called the world’s “fratricidal hatred.” The pope traveled by helicopter to Pompeii, near Naples, to observe the May 8 feast of Our Lady of Pompeii, coinciding with the date of a milestone tied to the sanctuary’s history.
Leo’s visit came at a sanctuary located near the archaeological excavations of Pompeii, the ancient city buried in A.D. 79 when Mount Vesuvius erupted. While the wider Pompeii site draws millions of tourists, the sanctuary draws Catholic pilgrims devoted in particular to praying the rosary. Before Mass, he spoke directly to faithful inside the sanctuary, saying, “What a beautiful day, how many blessings the Lord wanted to give to all of us,” and adding that he felt “the first blessed to be able to come here to the sanctuary of the Madonna on the day of her feast and on this anniversary.”
In his homily, Leo entrusted his pontificate to the Virgin Mary and prayed for peace, including a plea for those with responsibilities of governance. “We cannot resign ourselves to the images of death that the news presents to us every day,” he said, adding: “May the God of peace pour out an overflowing abundance of mercy, touching hearts, soothing grudges and fratricidal hatred, and enlightening those who bear special responsibilities of governance.”
Friday also marked the anniversary of Leo’s election as pope. The announcement day came for the former Robert Prevost, who is described as the first U.S.-born pope in history, and Leo had previously referred to the Pompeii feast day on the night of the election when he appeared on the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica and was introduced to the world. That night, he led prayers for his pontificate in the piazza below and linked his message to Mary’s closeness, saying then that “Mary, the mother of Christ, ‘always wants to walk at our side, to remain close to us, to help us with her intercession and her love.’”
After the Mass at the sanctuary, Leo began what he described as a set of day trips he would make over the next few weeks across the Italian peninsula. Vatican officials presented the schedule as part of the pope’s effort to get to know the Italian church that he leads as bishop of Rome.
Leo opened his Pompeii visit by meeting sick and disabled people cared for by a charity center affiliated with the sanctuary. In opening remarks, he connected the site’s spiritual traditions to the story of St. Bartolo Longo, recalling that when Longo arrived in the Pompeii valley he “he found a land plagued by great poverty, inhabited by a few very poor farmers, and ravaged by malaria and bandits.” He said Longo “was able to see, however, the face of Christ in everyone,” and highlighted Longo’s compassion toward “orphans and the children of prisoners,” to whom he said Longo made “the beating of God’s heart” felt “through his tenderness.”
The sanctuary is also closely associated with Longo, who founded the basilica and is venerated in Italy for charitable works for orphans, prisoners and other marginalized people. The sources of Leo’s account also note that Pope Francis had approved the miracle needed for Longo’s canonization from his hospital room shortly before Francis died, and that Leo made Longo a saint in October.
Outside the sanctuary, the pope was met by cheering Italians, including people who said they were attentive to Leo’s recent public sparring with U.S. President Donald Trump over the Iran war. Rita Borriello, speaking from nearby Torre del Greco, said she saw the pope as humble and close to them, saying Trump criticized him but that Leo “simply answered, ‘I preach the Gospel’.” Borriello added, “I see him as a very humble pope, very close to us, a pope who entered in our hearts.”