Pompeii – His pontificate opened under the banner of the Blessed Virgin of Pompeii, on May 8, the day the Church celebrates Our Lady of the Rosary. Leaning out from the balcony of St. Peter's Square, Pope Leo XIV entrusted his first words to the Virgin and asked for her intercession.
A year later, that date takes on a new meaning: according to rumors, the Pope will be in the Marian city on May 8th for the first leg of his visit to Campania.
Archbishop Prelate Tommaso Caputo will welcome him to Pompeii, along with the faithful and the community of the Shrine. This choice takes on an even greater symbolic significance considering that among the first saints proclaimed by the Pope was Bartolo Longo, a layman and founder of the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary, canonized last October 19th.
The stop in Naples
On the afternoon of May 8, the Pontiff will arrive in Naples, where he will be accompanied by Metropolitan Archbishop Don Mimmo Battaglia. This is a long-awaited return to a city that historically intertwines popular faith and Marian devotion, and which is preparing to welcome the new Pope on one of his first pastoral visits to Southern Italy.
Returning to Campania: Acerra and the Land of Fires
Pope Leo XIV's presence in Campania will not end with May 8th. On May 23rd, the Pontiff will be in Acerra, in the heart of the Land of Fires, a region emblematic of environmental emergencies. He will be welcomed by the president of the Campania Episcopal Conference, Monsignor Di Donna.
A visit with strong symbolic and pastoral value. On May 24, 2020, Pope Francis was scheduled to travel to Acerra, marking the fifth anniversary of his encyclical Laudato si', dedicated to the care of our common home.
The Covid emergency prevented that step. Six years later, Pope Leo is ideally reconnecting with that missed visit, bringing a never-ending environmental issue back to the center of ecclesial and civil attention.
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
It's interesting to see Pope Leo XIV return to Pompeii for the first time in a year. This visit has profound significance, especially considering his connection with Bartolo Longo. Let's hope all goes well.