Pope Leo XIV speaks by video call with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, and his wife Anca Faur, from Castel Gandolfo, Italy, on July 20, 2025. / Credit: Holy See Press OfficeRome Newsroom, Jul 21, 2025 / 06:30 am (CNA).Pope Leo XIV marked the 56th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing with a video call to U.S. astronaut Buzz Aldrin and a visit to the Vatican Observatory, located on the papal estate of Castel Gandolfo, where he has been staying for two weeks.According to the Vatican, the pontiff's July 20 call with the 95-year-old Buzz Aldrin, the last surviving Apollo 11 crew member, included reminiscing on the historic 1969 landing and meditating together on the "mystery, greatness, and fragility" of God's creation as described in Psalm 8.Earlier in the day, Leo visited the Vatican's internationally-recognized observatory, called the Specola Vaticana, where he was able to look through the astronomical center's historic telescopes.The Vatican Observatory has been located on...
Pope Leo XIV speaks by video call with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, and his wife Anca Faur, from Castel Gandolfo, Italy, on July 20, 2025. / Credit: Holy See Press Office
Rome Newsroom, Jul 21, 2025 / 06:30 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV marked the 56th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing with a video call to U.S. astronaut Buzz Aldrin and a visit to the Vatican Observatory, located on the papal estate of Castel Gandolfo, where he has been staying for two weeks.
According to the Vatican, the pontiff's July 20 call with the 95-year-old Buzz Aldrin, the last surviving Apollo 11 crew member, included reminiscing on the historic 1969 landing and meditating together on the "mystery, greatness, and fragility" of God's creation as described in Psalm 8.
Earlier in the day, Leo visited the Vatican's internationally-recognized observatory, called the Specola Vaticana, where he was able to look through the astronomical center's historic telescopes.
The Vatican Observatory has been located on the papal estate of Castel Gandolfo, around 18 miles southeast of Rome, since the 1930s, but the history of the institution dates to the 18th century. After several years of closure in the late 1800s, Leo's predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, re-founded the observatory in 1891.
In 1993, the Vatican Observatory Research Group (VORG), which opened a second research center at the University of Arizona in Tucson in 1981, completed construction of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope in Mount Graham, Arizona.
Pope Leo has been taking a break from the heat of Rome with a sojourn at the lakeside town of Castel Gandolfo, a revival of a tradition last observed by Pope Benedict XVI. The pontiff's stay was originally expected to end July 20, but the Vatican announced Sunday that Leo had extended the two-week stay an additional two days, through July 22.
Pope Leo XIV visited the historic telescopes located at the Vatican Observatory in Castel Gandolfo, 18 miles southeast of Rome, on July 20, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media
A pope close to science
On June 16, Pope Leo XIV, who holds a degree in mathematics from the University of Villanova, expressed his appreciation for astronomy when he received the participants of this year's Vatican Observatory Summer School.
On that occasion, he asked the young scientists to never forget "that what they do is meant to benefit everyone."
"Be generous in sharing what you learn and what you experience, to the best of your ability and in any way possible," he added.
The pope also urged them not to hesitate to share "the joy and wonder born of your contemplation of the 'seeds' which, in the words of St. Augustine, God has sown in the harmony of the universe."
This summer program, held every two years, brings together young astronomers from different countries. The most recent edition hosted 24 students from 22 nations under the theme: "Exploring the Universe with the James Webb Space Telescope," an instrument that has revolutionized astronomical observation since 2022.
During his meeting with astronomy students, Pope Leo highlighted the importance of the advances made by the telescope: "For the first time we can deeply observe the atmosphere of exoplanets where life may be developing, and study the nebulae where the planetary systems themselves are forming", as well as trace "the ancient light of distant galaxies, which speaks of the very beginning of our universe".
The grounds at the Sanctuary of La Sainte-Baume. / Credit: Sanctuary of La Sainte-BaumeWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 22, 2025 / 16:17 pm (CNA).Tucked away in a rocky mountain in southeast France is a cave formed by natural erosion called La Sainte-Baume. It is one of the oldest Christian pilgrimage sites in the world as it is the place where Mary Magdalene is believed to have spent the last 30 years of her life.Esteemed by St. Thomas Aquinas as the "Apostle to the Apostles," St. Mary Magdalene is regarded by the Dominicans as a secondary patroness of their order, which was founded in Toulouse, France. Appropriately, the cave remains under the care of the friars in the Toulouse province. The Dominicans are charged with the task of welcoming and evangelizing pilgrims who make their way to La Sainte-Baume. (The word "baume" comes from the Provençal word "baumo," meaning "cave.") The friars, alongside staff and volunteers, run the hostelry located next to the convent at the f...
Sean Graber, president of EWTN Digital (left), and Peter Gagnon, president of EWTN Studios. / Credit: EWTNWashington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 22, 2025 / 16:47 pm (CNA).Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) Chairman and CEO Michael P. Warsaw has announced a new organizational structure to further EWTN's mission in the digital landscape by enhancing its content creation and distribution methods under the leadership of two new presidents.EWTN will now align its operations around two new divisions: EWTN Studios and EWTN Digital. Led by Peter Gagnon, EWTN Studios will focus on content development, while Sean Graber will lead EWTN Digital, which will prioritize the network's media distribution and broadening its audience. (Note: EWTN is the parent company of CNA.)"Under the leadership of our foundress, Mother Angelica, EWTN learned to constantly adopt new technology to reach souls," Warsaw said. "Just as our major network peers in secular media have done, this change in structure will al...
Church property sits vandalized at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church in Pleasant Hills, Pennsylvania, in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, Sunday, July 19, 2025. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of PittsburghCNA Staff, Jul 22, 2025 / 12:32 pm (CNA).Federal agents are investigating a vandalism incident at a church in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, according to Bishop Mark Eckman.Eckman said in a July 19 statement that St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church in Pleasant Hills, Pennsylvania, had been desecrated with "anti-Catholic and anti-Semitic messages." The vandalism "wounded not only the people of this parish but every member of our diocesan family," the bishop said. "This holy place, meant for prayer, community, and the merciful presence of God has been violated in a deeply painful way," he added. Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are leading the inquiry into the incident, the bishop said. On Monday the diocese released photos of the vandalism "wit...
Pope Leo XIV speaks by video call with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, and his wife Anca Faur, from Castel Gandolfo, Italy, on July 20, 2025. / Credit: Holy See Press Office
