On the occasion of the celebrations culminating on this 15th of August, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Leo XIV has presented the Mother of God assumed into heaven as an image of the future glory of the Church and a sign of “hope and consolation” for humanity. The Pope indicates this in a letter addressed to Cardinal Francesco Montenegro, Archbishop Emeritus of Agrigento and the Pontiff’s special envoy to the events marking the seventh centenary of the arrival of the ancient image of the “Most Holy Mother of God” in Praia a Mare, a town in Calabria, southern Italy.
The celebrations take place on 14 and 15 August at the diocesan shrine of Santa Maria della Grotta, belonging to the diocese of San Marco Argentano-Scalea. In his letter, Leo XIV contemplates Mary as Mother, disciple and associate in the work of the Redeemer, and recalls that her Assumption anticipates the destiny of the Church. The Pontiff also highlights that the Mother of Christ offers “a serene perspective” to the people of our time, “often torn between anguish and hope,” and continues to intercede with maternal love for those who suffer.
Below, we offer the full translation of the letter of Leo XIV:
To our venerable brother
FRANCESCO, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church MONTENEGRO
Archbishop Emeritus of Agrigento
In celebrating the mystery of Christ, the Church commemorates the Blessed Virgin Mary, intimately united to her Son, recalling her as the new woman who, in anticipation of Christ’s death, was sublimely redeemed from the very moment of her conception; as the Mother who, by the power of the Holy Spirit, virginally begot the Son; as the disciple who diligently kept the Master’s words in her heart; and as the associate of the Redeemer who, according to the divine plan, generously gave herself entirely to the work of her Son.
In her, moreover, the Church recognizes a most eminent and singular member, adorned with every abundance of virtues; she confesses her as a companion on the journey of faith and in the tribulations of life and, contemplating her already placed beside her Son in the heavenly Kingdom, joyfully sees in her the image of her own future glory, prefigured in her Assumption into heaven, where the Virgin Mother of God remains as the principle and image of the Church that will attain its fullness and, for the pilgrim people, as a sign of certain hope and consolation (cf. Roman Missal, On the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, preface).
Sustained by this foundation of Marian faith, we rejoice deeply at the celebration of the seventh centenary of the finding of the image of Our Lady of the Grotto on the coast of Scalea, in Calabria. In recalling this occasion, we have gladly acceded to the kind request of our venerable brother Stefano Rega, Bishop of San Marco Argentano-Scalea, who earnestly asked that the solemn celebrations of the Mass might be honored by the presence and the word of a most eminent cardinal acting in our name and manifesting our affection toward the community gathered there.
Therefore we turn our thoughts to you, our venerable brother, for you know so well the special bonds of that place that you seem especially suited to represent us there, to manifest our closeness to that community, and to enhance with your presence and your word the celebrations of this jubilee year.
Hence we have chosen you to carry out this mission and, by this letter, we appoint you our Extraordinary Envoy for the solemn celebrations of the Mass that will take place on the 14th and 15th of next August, on the occasion of the seventh centenary of the finding of the celebrated image of the Mother of God.
We gladly grant you the faculty, when participating in this notable occasion, to greet and bless in our name the shepherd of San Marco Argentano-Scalea, the entire community of the faithful, and the public authorities, through the intercession of the Mother of Christ assumed into heaven, who offers to the people of our time, often torn between anguish and hope, a serene perspective, and who never ceases to intercede with maternal love for those afflicted by tribulations.
While we impart to you, our venerable brother, the blessing that you will convey to all who take part in the celebration, we accompany your mission with fervent prayers and humbly beseech the God of mercy that all may reap abundant fruits from the celebrations of this Jubilee Year.
Given at the Vatican, on the 13th of July in the year of the Lord 2026, the second of our pontificate.
LEO PP. XIV