Pope Leo XIV departed this Saturday morning, March 28, for the Principality of Monaco on his second international apostolic journey, the first by a pontiff in modern history to this small State, according to Vatican News.
The Pontiff took off at 7:22 from the Vatican heliport and is expected to remain in Monaco for less than nine hours, in a day concentrated on several official and pastoral acts.
A brief trip with strong symbolic weight
Before leaving Italian territory, Leo XIV sent the traditional telegram to the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, in which he expressed his desire to “encourage Christian witness and the building of the common good”, along with his best wishes for the spiritual, civil, and social progress of Italy.
The program includes four main moments: the visit to Prince Albert at the Princely Palace, the meeting with the Catholic community in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, a meeting with young people and catechumens, and, as the central act, the celebration of Mass at the Louis II Stadium.
A celebration with broad presence of the ecclesiastical hierarchy
The Eucharist at the stadium will be the culminating moment of the trip and will feature the presence of the royal family, underscoring the institutional nature of the event.
Along with the Pope, numerous cardinals and bishops of relevance in the universal Church will concelebrate, including the Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin; Cardinal Dominique Mamberti; the Archbishop of Marseille, Jean-Marc Aveline; and the Bishop of Ajaccio, François Bustillo, according to Tribune Chrétienne.
Also present will be officials of the Roman Curia such as Monsignor Edgar Peña Parra, Monsignor Paul Richard Gallagher, and Monsignor Filippo Iannone, as well as the Apostolic Nuncio in Monaco, Monsignor Martin Krebs, and several bishops from the region.
Boost to the mission of the local Church
The Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, had previously emphasized that this trip seeks to give a new boost to the mission of the Church in Monaco, reinforcing commitment in areas such as the defense of life, the protection of creation, and solidarity with the most vulnerable.
The day will conclude with the Pontiff’s return to Rome by helicopter around 5:45 PM.