On his third day as Pope, Leo XIV, the first American Pontiff, made two unexpected visits outside Vatican City. He traveled to Genazzano, about an hour from Rome, to pray at the shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel—a deeply meaningful site for both the Augustinian Order and Leo personally. He had visited this same shrine in 2001 on the day he was elected head of the Augustinians. Accompanied by fellow Augustinian friars, Leo spent time in prayer and fellowship, later reflecting on the surreal experience with warmth and humility.
His brother, John Prevost, flew in from Illinois to join the occasion, emphasizing the global sense of support and prayer for the new Pope. Crowds of all ages gathered to greet him with overwhelming enthusiasm, calling out “Papa Leon.”
On the return journey, Leo made another unannounced stop at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore to pray at Pope Francis’s tomb. His actions reflect a humble and emotionally resonant start to his papacy, touching both the religious community and ordinary people. Tomorrow, Pope Leo is expected to deliver a major Easter season blessing in St. Peter’s Square, where large and spirited crowds are anticipated.
Vocabulary:
• Pope (noun): leader of Catholic Church
• Pontiff (noun): another word for Pope
• Ecstatic (adjective): extremely happy or joyful
• Crowd (noun): A large group of people gathered together.
• Shrine (noun): sacred religious place
• Struggling (verb): having difficulty or trouble
• Flew (verb): traveled by airplane
• Overwhelming (adjective): intense or overpowering
Source: NBC News