Castel Gandolfo: In a moment steeped in affection and tradition, Pope Leo XIV arrived at Castel Gandolfo on Sunday afternoon to begin his annual summer rest, welcomed warmly by a sea of faithful hearts lining the streets of the peaceful hill town just 25 kilometers from Rome. Cheers, chants, and Rosaries marked the Pope’s entry into the serene Apostolic retreat, where he will remain until July 20, before returning again briefly in August.
The first sign of his arrival came not from grand fanfare but from a subtle signal the slow swing of the Villa gate and the appearance of two Swiss Guards. Moments later, the echo of motorcycle engines filled the air, heralding the approach of the papal vehicle. As the black car climbed the final stretch of Salita di Sant’Antonio, excitement swept through the crowd nuns, tourists, local families, journalists, and curious onlookers had gathered hours in advance behind barriers that even the Mayor of Castel Gandolfo, Alberto De Angelis, had helped set up early in the morning.
When Pope Leo stepped out of the car just meters from Villa Barberini, where he will reside during the retreat, the crowd erupted in applause. The Pontiff made his way toward the people without hesitation, stopping to bless children, greet the elderly, and offer warm smiles to everyone calling out “Pope Leo!” and “Holy Father!”
Among those blessed was Conchita, a pilgrim from Zaragoza, Spain, who beamed, “I shook his hand and said, Pope Leo, te quiero mucho!” Nearby, a group of Cameroonian nuns from the Congregation of the Presentation of Mary called out to him in French. The Pope answered their joy with his presence, shaking as many hands as he could before entering the Villa.
Inside, he was greeted by Sister Raffaella Petrini, president of the Vatican Governorate; Bishop Vincenzo Viva, director of the Pontifical Villas; Andrea Tamburelli, and other senior Vatican and local officials. Don Tadeusz Rozmus, the Polish parish priest of the local Saint Thomas of Villanova Church, known for his love of motorcycles, joked with journalists that he had offered to take the Pope for a spin around the town.
“It was both formal and intimate,” he said, “The Pope greeted us all, exchanged words of thanks and encouragement, and radiated genuine warmth and joy.”
Just as the crowd began to thin and the evening sun dipped over Lake Albano, the unexpected happened. Pope Leo XIV reappeared, not at the gates but on the balcony of the ivy-draped Villa. With the yellow-and-white flag of Vatican City fluttering above him, the Pope smiled and waved to those below, sparking a fresh wave of cheers. Smartphones and cameras flashed as the faithful captured the rare moment.
Directly below the balcony stood four nuns from the Daughters of the Sagrada Familia, a congregation founded in Colombia and based in Rome. The sisters—Maria Deleite de los Santos, Maria Regina Pacis, Maria José from Peru, and Maria Maestra Orante—had hurried to Castel Gandolfo after the Angelus to greet the Pope personally.
“What a joy that he got out of the car to bless us,” they said. “We’ve attended many papal audiences, but this is the closest we’ve ever been.”
They offered a heartfelt message to the Holy Father: “Welcome to Castel Gandolfo, Your Holiness. We pray fervently for your rest, your health, and your mission. May this retreat renew your strength for the work ahead. We accompany you in prayer.”
Though Castel Gandolfo has evolved over the years its Apostolic Palace transformed into a museum by Pope Francis the tradition of papal summer rest lives on. And now, under the gentle summer skies, Pope Leo XIV begins a period of reflection, renewal, and quiet communion, surrounded by beauty, prayer, and the love of the faithful.