VATICAN CITY. Newly elected Pope Leo XIV made his first trip outside the Vatican on Saturday, visiting a Marian shrine in the small Italian town of Genazzano and stopping at the tomb of his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, on his way back to Rome.
Riding in the passenger seat of a Volkswagen, Pope Leo arrived at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, where he was greeted by light cheers of “Viva il papa” (“Long live the Pope”) from those present. The pontiff walked slowly toward the simple tomb of Pope Francis and laid a single white flower before kneeling in silent prayer.
The gesture marked a deeply symbolic moment, as Francis, who passed away on April 21, had requested to be buried at St. Mary Major, a basilica he deeply revered. His tomb bears only the Latin inscription “Franciscus,” in keeping with his wishes for simplicity. In the days following his burial, more than 30,000 mourners visited the church to pay their respects.
Earlier that day, Pope Leo had visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano, about an hour’s drive east of Rome. The shrine, operated by the Augustinian religious order to which Pope Leo belongs, is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
The pope greeted well-wishers, offered blessings, and shook hands with a few people outside before entering the shrine. According to a Vatican statement, Pope Leo told those gathered that he had come to “pray for guidance in the first days of his papacy.”
Pope Leo, formerly U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost, was elected to the papacy on May 8, following the death of Francis. His decision to visit both the Marian shrine and his predecessor’s tomb on his first outing as pontiff reflects both personal devotion and a symbolic continuation of Francis’ pastoral and spiritual legacy.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
- Venus L Peñaflorhttps://tutubi.ph/author/venusp/
