During a historic Marian procession at the papal summer house on Lake Albano, Pope Leo XIV entrusted children wounded by war and other vulnerable populations to the protection of the Virgin Mary, urging the faithful to reject hatred and refuse to let evil disfigure humanity.
A Historic Arrival on Lake Albano
Pope Leo XIV traveled aboard the Falco, a vessel decorated with yellow and white flowers, marking the first time a pope has taken part in the Our Lady of the Lake procession on Lake Albano itself. The roughly 25-minute voyage across Lake Albano brought the pontiff to the lakeshore on a Sunday evening, accompanied by a statue of the Virgin Mary.
A flotilla of canoes carrying young participants from the Castel Gandolfo championships, along with dragon boats and other watercraft, flanked the papal boat. Pilgrims gathered along the shore, filling beach loungers and pedal boats while the evening atmosphere remained quiet and prayerful.
Music, Prayer, and Public Appeal for Peace
Ahead of the papal arrival, Salesian novices led the assembled pilgrims in hymns, Scripture readings, and meditation. Upon reaching the lakeshore, the Pope received a warm welcome before tenor Aurelio Grimaldi and his wife, Elena Kovalova, performed La Vergine degli angeli from Verdi’s La forza del destino. Maestro Massimiliano Franchina accompanied them on piano, followed by a rendition of César Franck’s Panis Angelicus.
Local authorities, including mayors wearing the Italian tricolour sash, joined thousands of faithful listeners as Pope Leo offered his public prayer. The assembly responded with sustained applause and cries of “Long live the Pope!” as the Castel Gandolfo marching band concluded the evening ceremony.
Entrusting the Vulnerable to Maternal Care
In his supplication to the Virgin Mary, whom he described as a “woman of listening and service,” the pontiff specifically invoked protection for those suffering from global conflicts. According to Vatican News coverage of the event, the Pope prayed for individuals affected by war, asking Mary to look with kindness upon children wounded by war and to awaken a universal desire for peace.
“Where hatred grows, teach us forgiveness; where fear prevails, restore hope,” Pope Leo prayed before the gathered faithful. He extended this maternal care to the elderly, the sick, families, young people, and individuals experiencing loneliness, alongside public officials whom he asked to promote justice, human dignity, and the common good.
