Pope Leo XIV to Celebrate Mass at Genazzano Shrine
Pope Leo XIV will preside over Mass at the Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano on September 7, 2025. This event is scheduled on the eve of the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The P…
Pope Leo XIV will preside over Mass at the Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano on September 7, 2025. This event is scheduled on the eve of the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Pope previously visited this Augustinian shrine two days after his election, on May 10, 2025.
During his inaugural visit to the shrine as Pope, he expressed a strong desire to return to Genazzano, stating, "I very much wanted to come here during these first days of the new ministry that the Church has entrusted to me." He emphasized the shrine's significance in his life, recalling that Mary had always accompanied him with her maternal presence.
The upcoming celebration will mark Pope Leo's return to a site that holds deep personal and historical significance. The shrine, originally a small church dedicated to the Virgin Mary, has been entrusted to the Augustinian friars since the 14th century. Additionally, Father Ludovico Centra will unveil a painting depicting the Pope praying before the image of the Virgin, following a tradition of similar portrayals of previous popes during the event.
The history of the shrine dates back to the 13th century and has been a site of spiritual importance for Catholics, notably marked by a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary that appeared in 1467. Multiple popes, including Urban VIII, John XXIII, and John Paul II, have visited the shrine, reinforcing its significance within the papal tradition.
