Pope Leo XIV Begins Summer Retreat at Castel Gandolfo Until July 27

Pope Leo XIV began his summer retreat this Sunday at the Pontifical Villas in Castel Gandolfo, where he will remain until July 27, reviving a tradition interrupted during the pontificate of Francisco.

“Pope Leo XIV is now on vacation at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, a small town overlooking the volcanic Lake Albano, 15 miles south of Rome”

America Magazine

He is staying at Villa Barberini, within the papal complex located 25 kilometers south of Rome, and the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household has announced that, during this break, general, private, and special audiences are suspended.

America Magazine

In his first greeting from the balcony of the Apostolic Palace, Leo XIV told the faithful gathered in Liberty Square, «Good afternoon, Castel Gandolfo! Thank you. »I am very happy to be here among you, to be able to spend the next few weeks resting a little, praying a little, reading a little, and, hopefully, doing a little exercise,” he said.

OSV News described the moment locals knew he was coming when the papal coat of arms was hung at the balcony of the papal Castel Gandolfo residence July 5, after the pope prayed the Angelus at the Vatican.

Vatican News quoted parish priest Father Tadeusz Rozmus, SDB, saying, “Our hope is that the Holy Father will be well here in Castel Gandolfo, that he may rest and accomplish what he himself has said is the purpose of his stay: prayer, rest, reading and sport.”

During the break, the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household said “all general, private and special audiences have been suspended,” while “the general [Wednesday] audiences will begin again on August 5,” according to America Magazine.

The pope will continue his weekly meeting with the faithful for the Angelus prayer, with the first two Sundays in July (the 5th and 12th) presiding from the Piazza della Libertà in Castel Gandolfo, and on July 19 returning to the Vatican to lead the Angelus from St. Peter’s Square.

El Mundo

OSV News reported that on July 5 the pope would move to Castel Gandolfo “for a period of rest, until Monday, July 27,” said a statement released just before the pope prayed the Angelus.

The Borgo Laudato Si’ will remain open every day from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. to welcome pilgrims and visitors, and the faithful have been invited to accompany the Pontiff in prayer during this time of rest.

In Castel Gandolfo, the pope told the cheering crowds on the balcony, “Good evening, Castel Gandolfo!” and “Welcome!” someone shouted out from below as the pope answered, “I’m very happy to be here among you, to be able to spend the next few weeks with some rest, some prayer, some reading, and hopefully some sports,” he said.

Multiple outlets tied the retreat to the long history of Castel Gandolfo as a papal summer residence, noting that the custom dates back to the 17th century when Pope Urban VIII turned the site into the popes’ summer residence.

““A Church of the Poor” — Pope Leo XIV Will Share Mass and a Meal With 200 Vulnerable Romans at Castel Gandolfo He reached the Alban Hills straight from Lampedusa, where he spent America’s 250th birthday among migrants at Europe’s southern door”

Letters from Leo

OSV News added that Pope Urban VIII became the first pope to spend time there on May 10, 1626, and it said the papal residence served as the summer residence of popes from 1626 until the election of Pope Francis, who chose to remain at the Vatican rather than retreat to the cooler hilltop residence outside Rome.

The OSV News account also described the physical setting and scale, saying the Castel Gandolfo property spans more than 135 acres, including 74 acres of gardens and 62 acres of farmland, along with three residences and a farm with chickens, rabbits, assorted fowl, cows and a small dairy operation.

Vatican News said the parish priest recalled last year’s visit and described local excitement at the pope’s return to the Apostolic Palace, including a “very beautiful gesture” when Leo XIV addressed the parish priest and community in a personal greeting.

Letters from Leo framed the broader purpose of the stay around a single afternoon that fuses creation-focused liturgy and a meal for “roughly 200 poor and vulnerable residents of the Diocese of Rome,” with organizers announcing the July 11 gathering called “A Lunch with the Pope.”