Pope Leo XIV visits major Italian pilgrimage sites while on vacation
The pontiff left Castel Gandolfo on July 22 to visit holy sites in Vallepietra and Subiaco. Pope Leo XIV visited two major pilgrimage sites in Italy while on vacation at Castel Gandolfo, Italy, stopping at the Sanctuary of the Most Holy Trinity in Vallepietra and the St. Benedict Monastery in Subiaco. As announced by the […]
Pope Leo XIV to U.S. religious superiors: Prioritize community life
The Vatican issued the pontiff’s letter on July 22 to mark the 70th anniversary of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men in the United States. Pope Leo XIV this week urged U.S. religious superiors to prioritize community life, describing it as a place of “witness and strength.” The Vatican published the letter on July […]
Pope Leo XIV urges peace and nuclear disarmament in new book foreword
The pontiff invoked Bob Dylan and others in the book “Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift,” which was published in Italian on July 21. Pope Leo XIV has written a foreword to a new book, calling for peace and the elimination of nuclear weapons. Originally published by Vatican News, the pontiff’s text is part […]
Pope Leo XIV makes private visit to St. Benedict’s tomb, prays for peace
The pontiff visited the Benedictine Abbey of Montecassino on July 20 from Castel Gandolfo, where he is on vacation. Pope Leo XIV made a private visit on July 20 to the Abbey of Montecassino, where St. Benedict of Nursia is buried. As announced by the Holy See Press Office, the pontiff made the trip while […]
New Pope Leo XIV medal on sustainability to debut in Rome in October
The pontiff will personally present the Villanova University-sponsored award at the International Sustainability Conference Oct. 12–15. A new medal named after Pope Leo XIV to recognize individuals who have worked toward ecological sustainability will be introduced in October 2026. The pontiff will personally present the “Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal” at the International Sustainability Conference, […]
Pope Leo XIV calls for evangelical approach without force or ‘arrogant judgments’
At the Sunday Angelus in Castel Gandolfo, the pontiff said God’s kingdom grows quietly through smallness, patience, and service rather than spectacle or power. Pope Leo XIV warned Sunday against imagining God as “a powerful figure who imposes himself by force, who takes over and dominates, or who arrives triumphantly” and urged Christians to embrace […]
Pope Leo XIV to attend summer concert at Castel Gandolfo
The pontiff, who is on vacation at the lakeside town, will attend a classical concert in his honor on July 18. Pope Leo XIV, who has restored the papal tradition of spending part of the summer at Castel Gandolfo, is set to attend a classical concert there on July 18. The “Concert in Honor of […]
Echoing Pope Leo XIV, experts sign Rome declaration on limits for AI and nuclear arms
The declaration was signed on July 16, marking the conclusion of a three-day Vatican summit on AI security risks. Inspired by Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, more than 200 leading academics, innovators, and Nobel laureates signed a declaration in Rome on July 16 calling for responsible AI development and the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. […]
Vatican clarifies pope’s role ‘as universal shepherd’ in wake of US ambassador’s comments
“The pope normally speaks as a head of the Church,” papal expert Father Roberto Regoli told EWTN News. When the pope speaks out on matters of war and peace, is he doing so as a religious authority or a political leader? A U.S. diplomat and a Vatican official recently expressed contrasting views on the question. […]
Vatican Bank names new director general
Giovanni Boscia will succeed Gian Franco Mammì in managing the daily operations of the Institute for the Works of Religion. The Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), also known as the Vatican Bank, has named Giovanni Boscia as its next director general. He will succeed Gian Franco Mammì, who has reached the mandatory retirement […]