(ZENIT News / Genazzano – Rome, 05.10.2025).- Pope Leo XIV made an unannounced private pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano on the afternoon of Saturday, May 10. Though not listed on the official calendar of events, the visit offered powerful insight into the spiritual compass guiding the early moments of his pontificate.
The sanctuary, a revered site for the Augustinian Order and a place rich in papal history, houses a centuries-old image of the Virgin Mary, famously venerated by Pope Leo XIII. It was here that Leo XIV, once himself the Prior General of the Augustinians, chose to spend a quiet afternoon in prayer.
Arriving just after 4:00 p.m., the pope was welcomed with warm applause and cheers from several hundred faithful gathered in the square outside the basilica. Without formal fanfare, he entered the sanctuary, where he was greeted by the Augustinian religious community. He paused in silent prayer first before the main altar, then before the miraculous image of the Virgin, leading those present in reciting a prayer composed by Saint John Paul II to Our Lady of Good Counsel.
The moment was not merely devotional, but intensely personal. Addressing those inside the sanctuary and the townspeople outside, Pope Leo spoke candidly of his long-standing desire to return to this shrine—one he had visited years before when entrusted with leadership of his religious order. “I wanted to come here in these early days of the ministry entrusted to me,” he said, “to ask for the grace to carry it forward as the Successor of Peter.”
Reflecting on his past commitment to offer his life for the Church, he once again placed his trust in the Virgin, calling her a companion of “light and wisdom.” Echoing the Gospel words of Mary at Cana—“Do whatever He tells you”—Leo XIV urged the faithful to listen attentively to the will of Christ, just as Mary had always pointed others toward her Son.
After a brief private moment with the Augustinian community in an interior room of the sanctuary, the pope appeared once more at the basilica entrance. Addressing the crowd informally, he expressed joy at having prayed at the shrine, calling the Virgin of Genazzano “a great gift” to the people—one that carried not only consolation but responsibility. “Just as the Mother never abandons her children,” he said, “you too must remain faithful to her.”
Smiling warmly, Pope Leo greeted young people gathered nearby, including what he affectionately called “the young at heart,” exclaiming, “We are all young!” He concluded with a reflection on the vibrant, joyful spirit with which Mary followed God’s will, encouraging everyone present to rediscover that same enthusiasm in their own lives.
Before departing, Pope Leo XIV raised his hand in blessing over the crowd—an act that, though simple, resonated with the depth of a pilgrim’s heart and a pastor’s love. In choosing to begin his papacy not with grand declarations but with a quiet journey to a humble Marian shrine, Leo XIV may be quietly setting the tone for a leadership rooted in prayer, personal encounter, and a deeply Marian trust in divine guidance.
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