Pope Leo XIV is enthusiastic with a sporty vacation in Castel Gandolfo!

Pope Leo XIV is enthusiastic with a sporty vacation in Castel Gandolfo!

Castel Gandolfo, Italien - On July 6, 2025, Pope Leo XIV will compete in Castel Gandolfo. This classic summer residence of the popes will be a place of relaxation and reflection for him in the next two weeks. Leo plans to celebrate four public masses and a general audience during his vacation, which underlines his active different approach compared to his predecessor, Pope Francis, who has hardly used the residence and instead converted it into a museum, while the gardens now serve as an ecological project.

In contrast to Francis, who remains in the Vatican, Leo XIV will actively experience the summer residence. He will live in Villa Barberini and not in the Apostolic Palace. In particular, sporting activities stand out among the planned activities; Leo XIV is active in sports and regularly trained in the gym before choosing a pope. A newly built tennis court in Castel Gandolfo is used for games, and the pool that John Paul II has set up is also in operation again, although paparazzi photos are to be avoided.

Visit to the Borgo Laudato Si

A special activity during his stay will be a visit to the Borgo Laupato Si, a project that is reminiscent of the encyclical Laupato Si ’by Pope Francis. Leo XIV has announced that it will celebrate a private trade fair to preserve creation in this area on July 9. The Borgo comprises 135 ACRES Land, including 86 ACRES gardens and 49 ACRES agricultural areas, and promotes biodiversity as well as the sustainable interaction between humans and nature.

Leo is accompanied by Cardinal Fabio Baggio and Father Manuel Dorantes. He also visits the garden of the Virgin Mary and the Belvedere gardens as well as the cryptoporticus, the archaeological remains of the audience hall by Emperor Domitian. These places not only offer the Pope with retreat, but also give it an impression of the history and the ecological mission that is behind the Borgo.

historical meaning of Castel Gandolfo

Castel Gandolfo has a long history as a retreat for popes that wanted to escape the heat of Rome. Pope Pius XII. In 1944, the villa opened for over 12,000 people to escape from bombing. Castel Gandolfo was also used during the Second World War to keep around 3,000 Italian Jews from persecution.

Leo XIV. His stay in Castel Gandolfo is viewed by many as a sign of hope and renewal, especially with regard to the commitment to the planet and the teachings of the encyclical Laudato Si