Pope Leo XIV prays at the Shrine of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano, Italy, Saturday, May 10, 2025 / Credit: Vatican MediaCNA Deutsch, May 10, 2025 / 13:42 pm (CNA).Pope Leo XIV on Saturday visited and prayed at a Marian shrine outside of Rome, greeting the community there and urging them to "be faithful to the Mother."The Holy Father visited the Shrine of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano on Saturday afternoon. The sanctuary, located about an hour east of Rome, is run by the religious of the Order of St. Augustine and "houses an ancient image of the Virgin, dear to the Order and to the memory of Leo XIII," according to the Vatican.Pope Leo XIV visits the Shrine of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano, Italy, Saturday, May 10, 2025. Credit: Vatican MediaThe pope greeted the religious at the shrine before praying at both the altar and the Marian image there, according to the Vatican. The Holy Father also prayed St. John Paul II's prayer to the Mother of Good Cou...
Pope Leo XIV prays at the Shrine of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano, Italy, Saturday, May 10, 2025 / Credit: Vatican Media
CNA Deutsch, May 10, 2025 / 13:42 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Saturday visited and prayed at a Marian shrine outside of Rome, greeting the community there and urging them to "be faithful to the Mother."
The Holy Father visited the Shrine of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano on Saturday afternoon. The sanctuary, located about an hour east of Rome, is run by the religious of the Order of St. Augustine and "houses an ancient image of the Virgin, dear to the Order and to the memory of Leo XIII," according to the Vatican.
Pope Leo XIV visits the Shrine of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano, Italy, Saturday, May 10, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media
The pope greeted the religious at the shrine before praying at both the altar and the Marian image there, according to the Vatican. The Holy Father also prayed St. John Paul II's prayer to the Mother of Good Counsel with the assembly.
"I wanted so much to come here in these first days of the new ministry that the Church has entrusted to me, to carry out this mission as the Successor of Peter," Leo told those present.
The pope told the community that the shrine was "such a great gift" to them.
Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful at the Shrine of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano, Italy, Saturday, May 10, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media
"As the Mother never abandons her children, you must also be faithful to the Mother," he said. The Holy Father also offered a blessing to those present.
Leo on Saturday also visited the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, where he prayed in front of the tomb of Pope Francis, his immediate predecessor.
Pope Leo XIV prays at the tomb of Pope Francis at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Vatican City, Saturday, May 10, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media
Francis is one of eight popes buried in the papal basilica.
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