There are now only a few weeks left before León XIV visits Spain, but before that trip the Pontiff will begin an intense tour of Italy that will take him to various points in the country between May and July.
The Vatican has made public the program of these pastoral visits, which include Pompeya, Naples, Rome, Acerra, Pavia, Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, and Lampedusa. It is a varied itinerary in which the Pope will combine liturgical celebrations, meetings with the faithful, and presence in settings of special social and ecclesial relevance.
Pompeya and Naples: Marian shrine and urban life
The first visit will be to Pompeya, where León XIV will go to the Marian shrine, one of the most important centers of devotion in Italy. There he will celebrate Mass in the main square and pray the traditional supplication to the Virgin, in addition to meeting with people welcomed in the sanctuary’s works of charity.
That same day he will travel to Naples. In the cathedral he will hold a meeting with the clergy and consecrated persons, with Eucharistic adoration, and later he will participate in an open event with the citizenry in the Piazza del Plebiscito, one of the city’s most emblematic spaces.
La Sapienza: presence in the university sphere
The Pope will also visit the La Sapienza University of Rome, where he will have a meeting with professors and students in the Aula Magna. The day will include a moment of prayer in the university chapel, an institutional meeting with the rector, and a visit to an exhibition dedicated to the relationship between the university and the Papacy.
Acerra: meeting with victims of pollution
In Acerra, in the so-called “Land of Fires,” León XIV will focus his visit on the cathedral, where he will meet with the clergy and families affected by the consequences of environmental pollution.
The day will continue with a public meeting in the main square with mayors and faithful from the region, in a territory marked by serious problems arising from illegal dumping.
Pavia and Sant’Angelo Lodigiano: illness, tradition, and parish life
In Pavia, the Pontiff will visit the National Center for Oncological Hadrontherapy, where he will greet children in treatment and healthcare personnel, before heading to the Basilica of San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro, where the relics of Saint Augustine are venerated.
The visit will also include a meeting with the clergy and the citizenry. Subsequently, in Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, the Pope will go to the local parish, where he will participate in a moment of Eucharistic adoration and venerate Saint Francesca Cabrini together with the community.
Lampedusa: cemetery, memory, and migratory phenomenon
The tour will culminate in Lampedusa, with a visit that will include a stop at the cemetery, a homage at the “Gate of Europe,” and the blessing of a plaque at the Favaloro pier, dedicated to Pope Francis.
The Pontiff will greet immigrants present on the island and celebrate Mass, in an event marked by the strong symbolic weight of this Mediterranean enclave.
Complete Itinerary of León XIV
- May 8 – Pompeya and Naples
- May 14 – Rome (La Sapienza University)
- May 23 – Acerra
- June 20 – Pavia and Sant’Angelo Lodigiano
- July 4 – Lampedusa